Preface
The Nectar of Devotion is a summary study of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which was written in Sanskrit by Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. He was the chief of the six Gosvamis, who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada was engaged as a minister in the Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother Sanatana were then named Dabira Khasa and Sakara Mallika respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the Hindu society was very rigid, and if a member of the brahmana caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at once rejected from brahmana society. That was the position of the two brothers, Dabira Khasa and Sakara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated sarasvata-brahmana community, but they were ostracized due to their acceptance of ministerial posts in the government of Hussain Shah. It is the grace of Lord Caitanya that He accepted these two exalted personalities as His disciples and raised them to the position of gosvamis, the highest position of brahminical culture. Similarly, Lord Caitanya accepted Haridasa Thakura as His disciple, although Haridasa happened to be born of a Muhammadan family, and Lord Caitanya later on made him the acarya of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Lord Caitanya's principle is universal. Anyone who knows the science of Krsna and is engaged in the service of the Lord is accepted as being in a higher position than a person born in the family of a brahmana. That is the original principle accepted by all Vedic literatures, especially by Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The principle of Lord Caitanya's movement in educating and elevating everyone to the exalted post of a gosvami is taught in The Nectar of Devotion.
Lord Caitanya met the two brothers Dabira Khasa and Sakara Mallika in a village known as Ramakeli in the district of Maldah, and after that meeting the brothers decided to retire from government service and join Lord Caitanya. Dabira Khasa, who was later to become Rupa Gosvami, retired from his post and collected all the money he had accumulated during his service. It is described in the Caitanya-caritamrta that his accumulated savings in gold coins equaled millions of dollars and filled a large boat. He divided the money in a very exemplary manner, which should be followed by devotees in particular and by humanity in general. Fifty percent of his accumulated wealth was distributed to the Krsna conscious persons, namely the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas; twenty-five percent was distributed to relatives; and twenty-five percent was kept against emergency expenditures and personal difficulties. Later on, when Sakara Mallika also proposed to retire, the Nawab was very much agitated and put him into jail. But Sakara Mallika, who was later to become Srila Sanatana Gosvami, took advantage of his brother's personal money, which had been deposited with a village banker, and escaped from the prison of Hussain Shah. In this way both brothers joined Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Rupa Gosvami first met Lord Caitanya at Prayaga (Allahabad, India), and on the Dasasvamedha bathing ghata of that holy city the Lord instructed him continually for ten days. The Lord particularly instructed Rupa Gosvami on the science of Krsna consciousness. These teachings of Lord Caitanya to Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada are narrated in our book Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Later, Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada elaborated the teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic literatures. Srila Srinivasa Acarya describes in his prayers to the six Gosvamis that they were all highly learned scholars, not only in Sanskrit but also in foreign languages such as Persian and Arabic. They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic scriptures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge. The present Krsna consciousness movement is also based on the authority of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. We are therefore generally known as rupanugas, or followers in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada. It is only for our guidance that Srila Rupa Gosvami prepared his book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which is now presented in the form of The Nectar of Devotion. Persons engaged in the Krsna consciousness movement may take advantage of this great literature and be very solidly situated in Krsna consciousness.
Bhakti means "devotional service." Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it. Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family, and a nationalist for the cause of his country and countrymen. That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called rasa, or a kind of mellow (relationship) whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard day and night in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A businessman is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore, wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyaga, which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation. A living entity cannot steadily remain either in sense enjoyment or in renunciation. Change is going on perpetually, and we cannot be happy in either state, because of our eternal constitutional position. Sense gratification does not endure for long, and it is therefore called capala-sukha, or flickering happiness. For example, an ordinary family man who works very hard day and night and is successful in giving comforts to the members of his family thereby relishes a kind of mellow, but his whole advancement of material happiness immediately terminates along with his body as soon as his life is over. Death is therefore taken as the representative of God for the atheistic class of men. The devotee realizes the presence of God by devotional service, whereas the atheist realizes the presence of God in the shape of death. At death everything is finished, and one has to begin a new chapter of life in a new situation, perhaps higher or lower than the last one. In any field of activity--political, social, national or international--the result of our actions will be finished with the end of life. That is sure.
Bhakti-rasa, however, the mellow relished in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, does not finish with the end of life. It continues perpetually and is therefore called amrta, that which does not die but exists eternally. This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. Bhagavad-gita says that a little advancement in bhakti-rasa can save the devotee from the greatest danger--that of missing the opportunity for human life. The rasas derived from our feelings in social life, in family life or in the greater family life of altruism, philanthropy, nationalism, socialism, communism, etc., do not guarantee that one's next life will be as a human being. We prepare our next life by our actual activities in the present life. A living entity is offered a particular type of body as a result of his action in the present body. These activities are taken into account by a superior authority known as daiva, or the authority of God. This daiva is explained in Bhagavad-gita as the prime cause of everything, and in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that a man takes his next body by daiva-netrena, which means by the supervision of the authority of the Supreme. In an ordinary sense, daiva is explained as forms; the choice does not depend on our selection, but is awarded to us according to our destiny. If our body at present is engaged in the activities of Krsna consciousness, then it is guaranteed that we will have at least a human body in our next life. A human being engaged in Krsna consciousness, even if unable to complete the course of bhakti-yoga, takes birth in the higher divisions of human society so that he can automatically further his advancement in Krsna consciousness. Therefore, all bona fide activities in Krsna consciousness are amrta, or permanent. This is the subject matter of The Nectar of Devotion.
This eternal engagement in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Krsna consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life free from anxieties and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation, because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Krsna. Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Krsna, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Krsna in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service, all varieties of rasas, or mellows, turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the acarya, or spiritual master, and gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Krsna. There are twelve kinds of rasas, as will be explained in this book, and by renovating our relationship with Krsna in five primary rasas we can live eternally in full knowledge and bliss.
The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. Even an animal like a tiger has this loving propensity at least in a dormant stage, and it is certainly present in the human beings. The missing point, however, is where to repose our love so that everyone can become happy. At the present moment the human society teaches one to love his country or family or his personal self, but there is no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy. That missing point is Krsna, and The Nectar of Devotion teaches us how to stimulate our original love for Krsna and how to be situated in that position where we can enjoy our blissful life.
In the primary stage a child loves his parents, then his brothers and sisters, and as he daily grows up he begins to love his family, society, community, country, nation, or even the whole human society. But the loving propensity is not satisfied even by loving all human society; that loving propensity remains imperfectly fulfilled until we know who is the supreme beloved. Our love can be fully satisfied only when it is reposed in Krsna. This theme is the sum and substance of The Nectar of Devotion, which teaches us how to love Krsna in five different transcendental mellows.
Our loving propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Krsna. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society, even by such great attempts as the United Nations, because we do not know the right method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Krsna, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being. It is like pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying food to one's stomach. The method of pouring water on the root of a tree or supplying foodstuffs to the stomach is universally scientific and practical, as every one of us has experienced. Everyone knows well that when we eat something, or in other words, when we put foodstuffs in the stomach, the energy created by such action is immediately distributed throughout the whole body. Similarly, when we pour water on the root, the energy thus created is immediately distributed throughout the entirety of even the largest tree. It is not possible to water the tree part by part, nor is it possible to feed the different parts of the body separately. The Nectar of Devotion will teach us how to turn the one switch that will immediately brighten everything, everywhere. One who does not know this method is missing the point of life.
As far as material necessities are concerned, the human civilization at the present moment is very much advanced in living comfortably, but still we are not happy, because we are missing the point. The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men to learn the art of devotional service as directed in The Nectar of Devotion, and I am sure that the fire of material existence burning within their hearts will be immediately extinguished. The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and the next. The Nectar of Devotion is not presented to condemn any way of materialistic life, but the attempt is to give information to religionists, philosophers and people in general how to love Krsna. One may live without material discomfiture, but at the same time he should learn the art of loving Krsna. At the present moment we are inventing so many ways to utilize our propensity to love, but factually we are missing the real point: Krsna. We are watering all parts of the tree, but missing the tree's root. We are trying to keep our body fit by all means, but we are neglecting to supply foodstuffs to the stomach. Missing Krsna means missing one's self also. Real self-realization and realization of Krsna go together simultaneously. For example, seeing oneself in the morning means seeing the sunrise also; without seeing the sunshine no one can see himself. Similarly, unless one has realized Krsna there is no question of self-realization.
The Nectar of Devotion is specifically presented for persons who are now engaged in the Krsna consciousness movement. I beg to offer my sincere thanks to all my friends and disciples who are helping me to push forward the Krsna consciousness movement in the Western countries, and I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution made by my beloved disciple Sriman Jayananda brahmacari. My thanks are due as well to the directors of ISKCON Press, who have taken so much care in publishing this great literature. Hare Krsna.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ISKCON Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
Introduction
Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality (passive adoration), servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features He has captivated all the gopis, headed by Taraka, Palika, Syama, Lalita, and ultimately Srimati Radharani. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada.
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada and of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India, to propagate the movement of Krsna consciousness.
Srila Rupa Gosvami begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Sri Sanatana Gosvami, who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him. He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar, Sri Sanatana Gosvami may always feel transcendental pleasure in the service of Radha and Krsna.
Let us offer our respectful obeisances to all the great devotees and acaryas (holy teachers), who are compared to sharks in the great ocean of nectar and who do not care for the various rivers of liberation. Impersonalists are very fond of merging into the Supreme, like rivers that come down and merge into the ocean. The ocean can be compared to liberation, and the rivers to all the different paths of liberation. The impersonalists are dwelling in the river water, which eventually comes to mix with the ocean. They have no information, however, that within the ocean, as within the river, there are innumerable aquatic living entities. The sharks who dwell in the ocean do not care for the rivers which are gliding down into it. The devotees eternally live in the ocean of devotional service, and they do not care for the rivers. In other words, those who are pure devotees always remain in the ocean of transcendental loving service to the Lord and have no business with the other processes, which are compared to the rivers that only gradually come to the ocean.
Srila Rupa Gosvami prays to his spiritual master, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, for the protection of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu--"The Ocean of the Pure Nectar of Devotional Service"--from the argumentative logicians who unnecessarily meddle in the science of service to the Lord. He compares their arguments and logic to volcanic eruptions in the midst of the ocean. In the midst of the ocean, volcanic eruptions can do very little harm, and similarly, those who are against devotional service to the Lord and who put forward many philosophical theses about the ultimate transcendental realization cannot disturb this great ocean of devotional service.
The author of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Srila Rupa Gosvami, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work. That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous acaryas, and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit of suffering humanity.
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu is divided into four parts, just as the ocean is sometimes divided into four parts, and there are different sections within each of these four divisions. Originally, in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, the ocean is divided like the watery ocean into east, south, west and north, while the subsections within these different divisions are called waves. As in the ocean there are always different waves, either on the eastern side, the southern side, the western side or the northern side, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu similarly has different waves. In the first part there are four waves, the first being a general description of devotional service. The second concerns the regulative principles for executing devotional service, and the third wave, devotional service in ecstasy. In the fourth is the ultimate goal, love of God. These will be explicitly described along with their different symptoms.
The authorized descriptions of bhakti, or devotional service, following in the footsteps of previous acaryas, can be summarized in the following statement by Srila Rupa Gosvami: "First-class devotional service is known by one's tendency to be fully engaged in Krsna consciousness, serving the Lord favorably." The purport is that one may also be in Krsna consciousness unfavorably, but that cannot be counted as pure devotional service. Pure devotional service should be free from the desire for any material benefit or for sense gratification, as these desires are cultivated through fruitive activities and philosophical speculation. Generally, people are engaged in different activities to get some material profit, while most philosophers are engaged in proposing transcendental realization through volumes of word jugglery and speculation. Pure devotional service must always be free from such fruitive activities and philosophical speculations. One has to learn Krsna consciousness, or pure devotional service, from the authorities by spontaneous loving service.
This devotional service is a sort of cultivation. It is not simply inaction for people who like to be inactive or devote their time to silent meditation. There are many different methods for people who want this, but cultivation of Krsna consciousness is different. The particular word used by Srila Rupa Gosvami in this connection is anusilana, or cultivation by following the predecessor teachers (acaryas). As soon as we say "cultivation," we must refer to activity. Without activity, consciousness alone cannot help us. All activities may be divided into two classes: one class may be for achieving a certain goal, and the other may be for avoiding some unfavorable circumstance. In Sanskrit, these activities are called pravrtti and nivrtti--positive and negative action. There are many examples of negative action. For instance, a diseased person has to be cautious and take medicine in order to avoid some unfavorable illness.
Those who are cultivating spiritual life and executing devotional service are always engaged in activity. Such activity can be performed with the body or with the mind. Thinking, feeling and willing are all activities of the mind, and when we will to do something, the activity comes to be manifest by the gross bodily senses. Thus, in our mental activities we should always try to think of Krsna and try to plan how to please Him, following in the footsteps of the great acaryas and the personal spiritual master. There are activities of the body, activities of the mind and activities of speech. A Krsna conscious person engages his words in preaching the glories of the Lord. This is called kirtana. And by his mind a Krsna conscious person always thinks of the activities of the Lord--as He is speaking on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra or engaging in His various pastimes in Vrndavana with His devotees. In this way one can always think of the activities and pastimes of the Lord. This is the mental culture of Krsna consciousness.
Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities. But all such activities must be in relationship with Krsna. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master, who is the direct representative of Krsna in disciplic succession. Therefore, the execution of Krsna conscious activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith. The connection with the spiritual master is called initiation. From the date of initiation by the spiritual master, the connection between Krsna and a person cultivating Krsna consciousness is established. Without initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the actual connection with Krsna consciousness is never performed.
This cultivation of Krsna consciousness is not material. The Lord has three general energies--namely the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy. The living entities are called marginal energy, and the material cosmic manifestation is the action of the external, or material, energy. Then there is the spiritual world, which is a manifestation of the internal energy. The living entities, who are called marginal energy, perform material activities when acting under the inferior, external energy. And when they engage in activities under the internal, spiritual energy, their activities are called Krsna conscious. This means that those who are great souls or great devotees do not act under the spell of material energy, but act instead under the protection of the spiritual energy. Any activities done in devotional service, or in Krsna consciousness, are directly under the control of spiritual energy. In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Krsna.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta, by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Krsna the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master, and then by the grace of the spiritual master one becomes advanced in Krsna consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Krsna consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy--Krsna and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. When we speak of "Krsna" we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His many expansions. He is expanded by His plenary parts and parcels, His differentiated parts and parcels and His different energies. "Krsna," in other words, means everything and includes everything. Generally, however, we should understand "Krsna" to mean Krsna and His personal expansions. Krsna expands Himself as Baladeva, Sankarsana, Vasudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Rama, Nrsimha and Varaha, as well as many other incarnations and innumerable Visnu expansions. These are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam to be as numerous as the uncountable waves. So Krsna includes all such expansions, as well as His pure devotees. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that Krsna's expansions are all complete in eternity, blissfulness and cognizance.
Devotional service means to prosecute Krsna conscious activities which are favorable to the transcendental pleasure of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, and any activities which are not favorable to the transcendental favor of the Lord cannot be accepted as devotional service. For example, great demons like Ravana, Kamsa and Hiranyakasipu were always thinking of Krsna, but they were thinking of Him as their enemy. This sort of thinking cannot be accepted as bhakti, or Krsna consciousness.
The impersonalists sometimes misunderstand devotional service in such a way that they divide Krsna from His paraphernalia and pastimes. For example, the Bhagavad-gita is spoken on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and the impersonalists say that although Krsna is of interest, the Battlefield of Kuruksetra isn't. The devotees, however, also know that the Battlefield of Kuruksetra by itself has nothing to do with their business, but in addition they know that "Krsna" does not mean just Krsna alone. He is always with His associates and paraphernalia. For instance, if someone says, "Give something to eat to the man with the weapons," the eating process is done by the man and not by the weapons. Similarly, in Krsna consciousness, a devotee may be interested in the paraphernalia and locations--such as the Battlefield of Kuruksetra--which are associated with Krsna, but he is not concerned with simply any battlefield. He is concerned with Krsna--His speech, His instructions, etc. It is because Krsna is there that the battlefield is so important.
This is the summary understanding of what Krsna consciousness is. Without this understanding one is sure to misunderstand why the devotees are interested in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. One who is interested in Krsna becomes interested in His different pastimes and activities.
The definition of a pure devotee, as given by Rupa Gosvami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Krsna. In order to keep the purity of such Krsna conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And "philosophical speculation" refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Krsna conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vasudeva, Krsna. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Krsna, with the understanding that Krsna is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not bhakti.
Karma, or fruitive activities, are sometimes understood to be ritualistic activities. There are many persons who are very much attracted by the ritualistic activities described in the Vedas. But if one becomes attracted simply to ritualistic activities without understanding Krsna, his activities are unfavorable to Krsna consciousness. Actually, Krsna consciousness can be based simply on hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. Described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam are nine different processes, besides which everything done is unfavorable to Krsna consciousness. Thus, one should always be guarding against falldowns.
Srila Rupa Gosvami has also mentioned in this definition of bhakti the word jnana-karmadi. This karmadi (fruitive work) consists of activities which are unable to help one attain to pure devotional service. Many forms of so-called renunciation are also not favorable to Krsna conscious devotional service.
Srila Rupa Gosvami has also quoted a definition from the Narada-pancaratra, as follows: "One should be free from all material designations and, by Krsna consciousness, must be cleansed of all material contamination. He should be restored to his pure identity, in which he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses." So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service. In our conditional state, our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Krsna, our activities are called bhakti.
As long as one identifies himself as belonging to a certain family, a certain society or a certain person, he is said to be covered with designations. When one is fully aware that he does not belong to any family, society or country, but is eternally related to Krsna, he then realizes that his energy should be employed not in the interests of so-called family, society or country, but in the interests of Krsna. This is purity of purpose and the platform of pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness.
Chapter One
Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verses 12 and 13, Srila Kapiladeva, while instructing His mother, has given the following characteristics of pure devotional service: "My dear mother, those who are My pure devotees, and who have no desire for material benefit or philosophical speculation, have their minds so much engaged in My service that they are never interested in asking Me for anything--except to be engaged in that service. They do not even beg to live in My abode with Me."
There are five kinds of liberation, namely to become one with the Lord, to live with the Supreme Lord on the same planet, to have the same features as the Lord, to enjoy the same opulences as the Lord and to live as a companion of the Lord. A devotee, what to speak of rejecting material sense gratification, does not even want any of the five kinds of liberation. He is satisfied simply by discharging loving service to the Lord. That is the characteristic of pure devotion.
In the above statement by Kapiladeva from Srimad-Bhagavatam, the actual position of a pure devotee is described, and the primary characteristics of devotional service are also defined. Further characteristics of devotional service are described by Rupa Gosvami with evidences from different scriptures. He states that there are six characteristics of pure devotional service, which are as follows:
(1) Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.
(2) Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.
(3) Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure.
(4) Pure devotional service is rarely achieved.
(5) Those in pure devotional service deride even the conception of liberation.
(6) Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Krsna.
Krsna is all-attractive, but pure devotional service attracts even Him. This means that pure devotional service is even transcendentally stronger than Krsna Himself, because it is Krsna's internal potency.
Relief from Material Distress
In Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that one should surrender unto Him, giving up all other engagements. The Lord also gives His word there that He will protect surrendered souls from the reactions of all sinful activities. Srila Rupa Gosvami says that the distresses from sinful activities are due both to the sins themselves and to sins committed in our past lives. Generally, one commits sinful activities due to ignorance. But ignorance is no excuse for evading the reaction--sinful activities. Sinful activities are of two kinds: those which are mature and those which are not mature. The sinful activities for which we are suffering at the present moment are called mature. The many sinful activities stored within us for which we have not yet suffered are considered immature. For example, a man may have committed criminal acts, but not yet been arrested for them. Now, as soon as he is detected, arrest is awaiting him. Similarly, for some of our sinful activities we are awaiting distresses in the future, and for others, which are mature, we are suffering at the present moment.
In this way there is a chain of sinful activities and their concomitant distresses, and the conditioned soul is suffering life after life due to these sins. He is suffering in the present life the results of sinful activities from his past life, and he is meanwhile creating further sufferings for his future life. Mature sinful activities are exhibited if one is suffering from some chronic disease, if one is suffering from some legal implication, if one is born in a low and degraded family or if one is uneducated or very ugly.
There are many results of past sinful activities for which we are suffering at the present moment, and we may be suffering in the future due to our present sinful activities. But all of these reactions to sinful deeds can immediately be stopped if we take to Krsna consciousness. As evidence for this, Rupa Gosvami quotes from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 19. This verse is in connection with Lord Krsna's instruction to Uddhava, where He says, "My dear Uddhava, devotional service unto Me is just like a blazing fire which can burn into ashes unlimited fuel supplied to it." The purport is that as the blazing fire can burn any amount of fuel to ashes, so devotional service to the Lord in Krsna consciousness can burn up all the fuel of sinful activities. For example, in the Gita Arjuna thought that fighting was a sinful activity, but Krsna engaged him on the battlefield under His order, and so the fighting became devotional service. Therefore, Arjuna was not subjected to any sinful reaction.
Srila Rupa Gosvami quotes another verse from the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Thirty-third Chapter, verse 6, in which Devahuti addresses her son, Kapiladeva, and says, "My dear Lord, there are nine different kinds of devotional service, beginning from hearing and chanting. Anyone who hears about Your pastimes, who chants about Your glories, who offers You obeisances, who thinks of You and, in this way, executes any of the nine kinds of devotional service--even if he is born in a family of dog-eaters [the lowest grade of mankind]--becomes immediately qualified to perform sacrifices." As such, how is it possible that anyone actually engaged in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness has not become purified? It is not possible. One who is engaged in Krsna consciousness and devotional service has without doubt become freed from all contaminations of material sinful activities. Devotional service therefore has the power to actually nullify all kinds of reactions to sinful deeds. A devotee is nevertheless always alert not to commit any sinful activities; this is his specific qualification as a devotee. Thus Srimad-Bhagavatam states that by performing devotional service a person who was born even in a family of dog-eaters may become eligible to take part in the performance of the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas. It is implicit in this statement that a person born into a family of dog-eaters is generally not fit for performing yajna, or sacrifice. The priestly caste in charge of performing these ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas is called the brahmana order. Unless one is a brahmana, he cannot perform these ceremonies.
A person is born in a brahmana family or in a family of dog-eaters due to his past activities. If a person is born in a family of dog-eaters it means that his past activities were all sinful. But if even such a person takes to the path of devotional service and begins to chant the holy names of the Lord--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--he is at once fit to perform the ritualistic ceremonies. This means that his sinful reactions have immediately become neutralized.
It is stated in the padma Purana that there are four kinds of effects due to sinful activities, which are listed as follows: (1) the effect which is not yet fructified, (2) the effect which is lying as seed, (3) the effect which is already mature and (4) the effect which is almost mature. It is also stated that all these four effects become immediately vanquished for those who surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, and become engaged in His devotional service in full Krsna consciousness.
Those effects described as "almost mature" refer to the distress from which one is suffering at present, and the effects "lying as seed" are in the core of the heart, where there is a certain stock of sinful desires which are like seeds. The Sanskrit word kutam means that they are almost ready to produce the seed, or the effect of the seed. "An immature effect" refers to the case where the seedling has not begun. From this statement of padma Purana it is understood that material contamination is very subtle. Its beginning, its fruition and results, and how one suffers such results in the form of distress, are part of a great chain. When one catches some disease, it is often very difficult to ascertain the cause of the disease, where it originated and how it is maturing. The suffering of a disease, however, does not appear all of a sudden. It actually takes time. And as in the medical field, for precaution's sake, the doctor injects a vaccination to prevent the growing of contamination, the practical injection to stop all the fructifications of the seeds of our sinful activities is simply engagement in Krsna consciousness.
In this connection, Sukadeva Gosvami speaks in the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Chapter, verse 17, about the story of Ajamila, who began life as a fine and dutiful brahmana, but in his young manhood became wholly corrupted by a prostitute. At the end of his wicked life, just by calling the name "Narayana [Krsna]," he was saved despite so much sin. Sukadeva points out that austerity, charity and the performance of ritualistic ceremonies for counteracting sinful activities are recommended processes, but that by performing them one cannot remove the sinful desire-seed from the heart, as was the case with Ajamila in his youth. This sinful desire-seed can be removed only by achieving Krsna consciousness. And this can be accomplished very easily by chanting the maha-mantra, or Hare Krsna mantra, as recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In other words, unless one adopts the path of devotional service, he cannot be one-hundred-percent clean from all the reactions of sinful activities.
By performing Vedic ritualistic activities, by giving money in charity and by undergoing austerity, one can temporarily become free from the reactions of sinful activities, but at the next moment he must again become engaged in sinful activities. For example, a person suffering from venereal disease on account of excessive indulgence in sex life has to undergo some severe pain in medical treatment, and he is then cured for the time being. But because he has not been able to remove the sex desire from his heart, he must again indulge in the same thing and become a victim of the same disease. So medical treatment may give temporary relief from the distress of such venereal disease, but unless one is trained to understand that sex life is abominable, it is impossible to be saved from such repeated distress. Similarly, the ritualistic performances, charity and austerity which are recommended in the Vedas may temporarily stop one from acting in sinful ways, but as long as the heart is not clear, one will have to repeat sinful activities again and again.
Another example given in Srimad-Bhagavatam concerns the elephant who enters into a lake and takes a bath very seriously, cleansing his body thoroughly. Then as soon as he comes onto shore he again takes some dust from the earth and throws it over his body. Similarly, a person who is not trained in Krsna consciousness cannot become completely free from the desire for sinful activities. Neither the yoga process nor philosophical speculations nor fruitive activities can save one from the seeds of sinful desires. Only by being engaged in devotional service can this be done.
There is another evidence in the Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twenty-second Chapter, verse 39, wherein Sanat-kumara says, "My dear King, the false ego of a human being is so strong that it keeps him in material existence as if tied up by a strong rope. Only the devotees can cut off the knot of this strong rope very easily, by engaging themselves in Krsna consciousness. Others, who are not in Krsna consciousness but are trying to become great mystics or great ritual performers, cannot advance like the devotees. Therefore, it is the duty of everyone to engage himself in the activities of Krsna consciousness in order to be freed from the tight knot of false ego and engagement in material activities."
This tight knot of false ego is due to ignorance. As long as one is ignorant about his identity, he is sure to act wrongly and thereby become entangled in material contamination. This ignorance of factual knowledge can also be dissipated by Krsna consciousness, as is confirmed in the Padma Purana as follows: "Pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness is the highest enlightenment, and when such enlightenment is there, it is just like a blazing forest fire, killing all the inauspicious snakes of desire." The example is being given in this connection that when there is a forest fire the extensive blazing automatically kills all the snakes in the forest. There are many, many snakes on the ground of the forest, and when a fire takes place, it burns the dried foliage, and the snakes are immediately attacked. Animals who have four legs can flee from the fire or can at least try to flee, but the snakes are immediately killed. Similarly, the blazing fire of Krsna consciousness is so strong that the snakes of ignorance are immediately killed.
Krsna Consciousness Is All-auspicious
Srila Rupa Gosvami has given a definition of auspiciousness. He says that actual auspiciousness means welfare activities for all the people of the world. At the present moment groups of people are engaged in welfare activities in terms of society, community or nation. There is even an attempt in the form of the United Nations for world-help activity. But due to the shortcomings of limited national activities, such a general mass welfare program for the whole world is not practically possible. The Krsna consciousness movement, however, is so nice that it can render the highest benefit to the entire human race. Everyone can be attracted by this movement, and everyone can feel the result. Therefore, Rupa Gosvami and other learned scholars agree that a broad propaganda program for the Krsna consciousness movement of devotional service all over the world is the highest humanitarian welfare activity.
How the Krsna consciousness movement can attract the attention of the whole world and how each and every man can feel pleasure in this Krsna consciousness is stated in the padma Purana as follows: "A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world. In addition to human society, he is pleasing even the trees and animals, because they also become attracted by such a movement." A practical example of this was shown by Lord Caitanya when He was traveling through the forests of Jharikhanda in central India for spreading His sankirtana movement. The tigers, the elephants, the deer and all the other wild animals joined Him and were participating, in their own ways, by dancing and chanting Hare Krsna.
Furthermore, a person engaged in Krsna consciousness, acting in devotional service, can develop all the good qualities that are generally found in the demigods. It is said by Sukadeva Gosvami in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eighteenth Chapter, verse 12, "My dear King, persons who have unflinching faith in Krsna and are without any duplicity can develop all the good qualities of the demigods. On account of a devotee's high grade of Krsna consciousness, even the demigods like to live with him, and therefore it can be understood that the qualities of the demigods have developed within his body."
On the other hand, a person who is not in Krsna consciousness has no good qualities. He may be highly educated from the academic point of view, but in the actual field of his activities he can be seen to be baser than the animals. Even though a person is highly educated academically, if he cannot go beyond the sphere of mental activities then he is sure to perform only material activities and thus remain impure. There are so many persons in the modern world who have been highly educated in the materialistic universities, but it is seen that they cannot take up the movement of Krsna consciousness and develop the high qualities of the demigods.
For example, a Krsna conscious boy, even if he is not very well educated by the university standard, can immediately give up all illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication, whereas those who are not in Krsna consciousness, although very highly educated, are often drunkards, meat-eaters, sexmongers and gamblers. These are practical proofs of how a Krsna conscious person becomes highly developed in good qualities, whereas a person who is not in Krsna consciousness cannot do so. We experience that even a young boy in Krsna consciousness is unattached to cinemas, nightclubs, naked dance shows, restaurants, liquor shops, etc. He becomes completely freed. He saves his valuable time from being extravagantly spent in the way of smoking, drinking, attending the theater and dancing.
One who is not in Krsna consciousness usually cannot sit silently even for half an hour. The yoga system teaches that if you become silent you will realize that you are God. This system may be all right for materialistic persons, but how long will they be able to keep themselves silent? Artificially, they may sit down for so-called meditation, but immediately after their yogic performance they will engage themselves again in such activities as illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and many other nonsensical things. But a Krsna conscious person gradually elevates himself without endeavoring for this so-called silent meditation. Simply because he is engaged in Krsna consciousness he automatically gives up all this nonsense and develops a high character. One develops the highest character by becoming a pure devotee of Krsna. The conclusion is that no one can truly have any good qualities if he is lacking Krsna consciousness.
Happiness in Krsna Consciousness
Srila Rupa Gosvami has analyzed the different sources of happiness. He has divided happiness into three categories, which are (1) happiness derived from material enjoyment, (2) happiness derived by identifying oneself with the Supreme Brahman and (3) happiness derived from Krsna consciousness.
In the tantra-sastra Lord Siva speaks to his wife, Sati, in this way: "My dear wife, a person who has surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Govinda and who has thus developed pure Krsna consciousness can be very easily awarded all the perfections desired by the impersonalists; and beyond this, he can enjoy the happiness achieved by the pure devotees."
Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest, because it is eternal. The happiness derived from material perfection or understanding oneself to be Brahman is inferior because it is temporary. There is no preventing one's falling down from material happiness, and there is even every chance of falling down from the spiritual happiness derived out of identifying oneself with the impersonal Brahman.
It has been seen that great Mayavadi (impersonalist) sannyasis--very highly educated and almost realized souls--may sometimes take to political activities or to social welfare activities. The reason is that they actually do not derive any ultimate transcendental happiness in the impersonal understanding and therefore must come down to the material platform and take to such mundane affairs. There are many instances, especially in India, where these Mayavadi sannyasis descend to the material platform again. But a person who is fully in Krsna consciousness will never return to any sort of material platform. However alluring and attracting they may be, he always knows that no material welfare activities can compare to the spiritual activity of Krsna consciousness.
The mystic perfections achieved by actually successful yogis are eight in number. Anima-siddhi refers to the power by which one can become so small that he can enter into a stone. Modern scientific improvements also enable us to enter into stone, because they provide for excavating so many subways, penetrating the hills, etc. So anima-siddhi, the mystic perfection of trying to enter into stone, has also been achieved by material science. Similarly, all of the yoga-siddhis, or perfections, are material arts. For example, in one yoga-siddhi there is development of the power to become so light that one can float in the air or on water. That is also being performed by modern scientists. They are flying in the air, they are floating on the surface of the water, and they are traveling under the water.
After comparing all these mystic yoga-siddhis to materialistic perfections, we find that the materialistic scientists try for the same perfections. So actually there is no difference between mystic perfection and materialistic perfection. A German scholar once said that the so-called yoga perfections had already been achieved by the modern scientists, and so he was not concerned with them. He intelligently went to India to learn how he could understand his eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord by means of bhakti-yoga, devotional service.
Of course, in the categories of mystic perfection there are certain processes which the material scientists have not yet been able to develop. For instance, a mystic yogi can enter into the sun planet simply by using the rays of the sunshine. This perfection is called laghima. Similarly, a yogi can touch the moon with his finger. Though the modern astronauts go to the moon with the help of spaceships, they undergo many difficulties, whereas a person with mystic perfection can extend his hand and touch the moon with his finger. This siddhi is called prapti, or acquisition. With this prapti-siddhi, not only can the perfect mystic yogi touch the moon planet, but he can extend his hand anywhere and take whatever he likes. He may be sitting thousands of miles away from a certain place, and if he likes he can take fruit from a garden there. This is prapti-siddhi.
The modern scientists have manufactured nuclear weapons with which they can destroy an insignificant part of this planet, but by the yoga-siddhi known as isita one can create and destroy an entire planet simply at will. Another perfection is called vasita, and by this perfection one can bring anyone under his control. This is a kind of hypnotism which is almost irresistible. Sometimes it is found that a yogi who may have attained a little perfection in this vasita mystic power comes out among the people and speaks all sorts of nonsense, controls their minds, exploits them, takes their money and then goes away.
There is another mystic perfection, which is known as prakamya (magic). By this prakamya power one can achieve anything he likes. For example, one can make water enter into his eye and then again come out from within the eye. Simply by his will he can perform such wonderful activities.
The highest perfection of mystic power is called kamavasayita. This is also magic, but whereas the prakamya power acts to create wonderful effects within the scope of nature, kamavasayita permits one to contradict nature--in other words, to do the impossible. Of course, one can derive great amounts of temporary happiness by achieving such yogic materialistic perfections.
Foolishly, people who are enamored of the glimmer of modern materialistic advancement are thinking that the Krsna consciousness movement is for less intelligent men. "I am better off being busy with my material comforts--maintaining a nice apartment, family and sex life." These people do not know that at any moment they can be kicked out of their material situation. Due to ignorance, they do not know that real life is eternal. The temporary comforts of the body are not the goal of life, and it is due only to darkest ignorance that people become enamored of the glimmering advancement of material comforts. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has therefore said that the advancement of material knowledge renders a person more foolish, because it causes one to forget his real identity by its glimmer. This is doom for him, because this human form of life is meant for getting out of material contamination. By the advancement of material knowledge, people are becoming more and more entangled in material existence. They have no hope of being liberated from this catastrophe.
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya it is stated that Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee of the Lord, prayed to Nrsimhadeva (the half-lion, half-man incarnation) as follows: "My dear Lord, I repeatedly pray unto Your lotus feet that I may simply be stronger in devotional service. I simply pray that my Krsna consciousness may be more strong and steady, because happiness derived out of Krsna consciousness and devotional service is so powerful that with it one can have all the other perfections of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and even the attainment of liberation from material existence."
Actually, a pure devotee does not aspire after any of these perfections, because the happiness derived from devotional service in Krsna consciousness is so transcendental and so unlimited that no other happiness can compare to it. It is said that even one drop of happiness in Krsna consciousness stands beyond comparison with an ocean of happiness derived from any other activity. Thus, any person who has developed even a little quantity of pure devotional service can very easily kick out all the other kinds of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation.
There was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya known as Kholaveca Sridhara, who was a very poor man. He was doing a small business selling cups made from the leaves of plantain trees, and his income was almost nothing. Still, he was spending fifty percent of his small income on the worship of the Ganges, and with the other fifty percent he was somehow living. Lord Caitanya once revealed Himself to this confidential devotee, Kholaveca Sridhara, and offered him any opulence he liked. But Sridhara informed the Lord that he did not want any material opulence. He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. That is the position of pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service they do not want anything else, not even the happiness of liberation or of becoming one with the Supreme.
In the Narada-pancaratra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn't care a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or the five kinds of liberation. Any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, liberation or sense gratification cannot even dare to enter into the heart of a pure devotee. It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Krsna, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee's asking.
The Rareness of Pure Devotional Service
In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire, he still cannot achieve devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful, because Krsna does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Krsna can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 19.151) it is said, "By the mercy of the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Krsna one can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way."
The rarity of devotional service is also confirmed in the tantra-sastra, where Lord Siva says to Sati, "My dear Sati, if one is a very fine philosopher, analyzing the different processes of knowledge, he can achieve liberation from the material entanglement. By performance of the ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the Vedas one can be elevated to the platform of pious activities and thereby enjoy the material comforts of life to the fullest extent. But all such endeavors can hardly offer anyone devotional service to the Lord, not even if one tries for it by such processes for many, many thousands of births."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is also confirmed by Prahlada Maharaja that merely by personal efforts or by the instructions of higher authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional service. One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee, who is completely freed from the contamination of material desires.
In the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Chapter, verse 18, Narada also says to Yudhisthira, "My dear King, it is Lord Krsna, known as Mukunda, who is the eternal protector of the Pandavas and the Yadus. He is also your spiritual master and instructor in every respect. He is the only worshipable God for you. He is very dear and affectionate, and He is the director of all your activities, both individual and familial. And what's more, He sometimes carries out your orders as if He were your messenger! My dear King, how very fortunate you are, because for others all these favors given to you by the Supreme Lord would not even be dreamt of." The purport to this verse is that the Lord easily offers liberation, but He rarely agrees to offer a soul devotional service, because by devotional service the Lord Himself becomes purchased by the devotee.
The Happiness of Becoming One with the Supreme
Srila Rupa Gosvami says that if brahmananda, or the happiness of becoming one with the Supreme, is multiplied by one trillionfold, it still cannot compare to an atomic fraction of the happiness derived from the ocean of devotional service.
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya Prahlada Maharaja, while satisfying Lord Nrsimhadeva by his prayers, says, "My dear Lord of the universe, I am feeling transcendental pleasure in Your presence and have become merged in the ocean of happiness. I now consider the happiness of brahmananda to be no more than the water in the impression left by a cow's hoof in the earth, compared to this ocean of bliss." Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhavartha-dipika, Sridhara Svami's commentary on the Srimad-Bhagavatam, "My dear Lord, some of the fortunate persons who are swimming in the ocean of Your nectar of devotion, and who are relishing the nectar of the narration of Your pastimes, certainly know ecstasies which immediately minimize the value of the happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. Such a transcendental devotee regards any kind of happiness other than devotional service as no better than straw in the street."
Attracting Krsna
Srila Rupa Gosvami has stated that devotional service attracts even Krsna. Krsna attracts everyone, but devotional service attracts Krsna. The symbol of devotional service in the highest degree is Radharani. Krsna is called Madana-mohana, which means that He is so attractive that He can defeat the attraction of thousands of Cupids. But Radharani is still more attractive, for She can even attract Krsna. Therefore devotees call Her Madana-mohana-mohini--the attractor of the attractor of Cupid.
To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Radharani, and devotees in Vrndavana put themselves under the care of Radharani in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Radharani. In Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed that the mahatmas, or great souls, are under the protection of daivi prakrti, the internal energy--Radharani. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Krsna, devotional service attracts even Krsna Himself.
This fact is corroborated by Krsna in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 20, where He says, "My dear Uddhava, you may know it from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be attained even by the performance of mystic yoga, philosophical speculation, ritualistic sacrifices, the study of Vedanta, the practice of severe austerities or the giving of everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees."
How Krsna becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Narada in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, verses 48 and 49. There Narada addresses King Yudhisthira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlada Maharaja. A devotee always appreciates the activities of other devotees. Yudhisthira Maharaja was appreciating the qualities of Prahlada, and that is one symptom of a pure devotee. A pure devotee never thinks himself great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself. The King was thinking, "Prahlada Maharaja is actually a devotee of the Lord, while I am nothing," and while thinking this he was addressed by Narada as follows: "My dear King Yudhisthira, you [the Pandava brothers] are the only fortunate people in this world. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared on this planet and is presenting Himself to you as an ordinary human being. He is always with you in all circumstances. He is living with you and covering Himself from the eyes of others. Others cannot understand that He is the Supreme Lord, but He is still living with you as your cousin, as your friend and even as your messenger. Therefore you must know that nobody in this world is more fortunate than you."
In Bhagavad-gita when Krsna appeared in His universal form Arjuna prayed, "My dear Krsna, I thought of You as my cousin-brother, and so I have shown disrespect to You in so many ways, calling You 'Krsna' or 'friend.' But You are so great that I could not understand." So that was the position of the Pandavas; although Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.
Chapter Two
The First Stages of Devotion
The three categories of devotional service which Srila Rupa Gosvami describes in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead. There are many subheadings in each of these categories. Generally it is understood that in the category of devotional service in practice there are two different qualities, devotional service in ecstasy has four qualities, and devotional service in pure love of Godhead has six qualities. These qualities will be explained by Srila Rupa Gosvami later on.
In this connection, Srila Rupa Gosvami suggests that the person eligible for Krsna consciousness, or devotional service, can be classified by his particular taste. He says that devotional service is a continual process from one's previous life. No one can take to devotional service unless he has had some previous connection with it. For example, suppose in this life I practice devotional service to some extent. Even though it is not one-hundred-percent perfectly performed, whatever I have done will not be lost. In my next life, from the very point where I stop in this life, I shall begin again. In this way there is always a continuity. But even if there is no continuity, if only by chance a person takes interest in a pure devotee's instruction, he can be accepted and can advance in devotional service. Anyway, for persons who have a natural taste for understanding books like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, devotional service is easier than for those who are simply accustomed to mental speculation and argumentative processes.
To support this statement there are many authoritative assertions by the learned scholars of bygone ages. According to their general opinion, a person may become governed by certain convictions derived by his own arguments and decisions. Then another person, who may be a greater logician, will nullify these conclusions and establish another thesis. In this way the path of argument will never be safe or conclusive. Srimad-Bhagavatam recommends, therefore, that one follow in the footsteps of the authorities.
Here is a general description of devotional service given by Sri Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Previously, it has been stated that devotional service can be divided into three categories--namely devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of God. Now Sri Rupa Gosvami proposes to describe devotional service in practice.
Practice means employing our senses in some particular type of work. Therefore devotional service in practice means utilizing our different sensory organs in service to Krsna. Some of the senses are meant for acquiring knowledge, and some are meant for executing the conclusions of our thinking, feeling and willing. So practice means employing both the mind and the senses in practical devotional service. This practice is not for developing something artificial. For example, a child learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural. The walking capacity is there originally in the child, and simply by a little practice he walks very nicely. Similarly, devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct of every living entity. Even uncivilized men like the aborigines offer their respectful obeisances to something wonderful exhibited by nature's law, and they appreciate that behind some wonderful exhibition or action there is something supreme. So this consciousness, though lying dormant in those who are materially contaminated, is found in every living entity. And, when purified, this is called Krsna consciousness.
There are certain prescribed methods for employing our senses and mind in such a way that our dormant consciousness for loving Krsna will be invoked, as much as the child, with a little practice, can begin to walk. One who has no basic walking capacity cannot walk by practice. Similarly, Krsna consciousness cannot be aroused simply by practice. Actually there is no such practice. When we wish to develop our innate capacity for devotional service, there are certain processes which, by our accepting and executing them, will cause that dormant capacity to be invoked. Such practice is called sadhana-bhakti.
Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of madness. In Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, "Generally, the conditioned soul is mad, because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering." Spirit soul in his original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge. Only by his implication in material activities has he become miserable, temporary and full of ignorance. This is due to vikarma. Vikarma means "actions which should not be done." Therefore, we must practice sadhana-bhakti--which means to offer mangala-arati (Deity worship) in the morning, to refrain from certain material activities, to offer obeisances to the spiritual master and to follow many other rules and regulations which will be discussed here one after another. These practices will help one become cured of madness. As a man's mental disease is cured by the directions of a psychiatrist, so this sadhana-bhakti cures the conditioned soul of his madness under the spell of maya, material illusion.
Narada Muni mentions this sadhana-bhakti in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, First Chapter, verse 32. He says there to King Yudhisthira, "My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Krsna by any means." That is called Krsna consciousness. It is the duty of the acarya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krsna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose, centered around the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. This chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Krsna. That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on Krsna. The great saint Ambarisa Maharaja, although a responsible king, fixed his mind on Krsna, and similarly anyone who tries to fix his mind in this way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original Krsna consciousness.
Now this sadhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be divided into two parts. The first part is called service according to regulative principles: one has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without argument. Another part of sadhana-bhakti is called raganuga. Raganuga refers to the point at which, by following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Krsna and executes devotional service out of natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer arati, which is a form of Deity worship. In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers arati, but then he develops real attachment. When he gets this attachment, he automatically tries to decorate the Deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans to execute his devotional service nicely. Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotional service, sadhana-bhakti, can be divided into two parts--namely, regulative and spontaneous.
Rupa Gosvami defines the first part of devotional practice, or vaidhi-bhakti, as follows: "When there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, and one is engaged in the service of the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the spiritual master or in pursuance of the scriptures, such obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti."
These principles of vaidhi-bhakti are also described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, First Chapter, verse 5, where Sukadeva Gosvami instructs the dying Maharaja Pariksit as to his course of action. Maharaja Pariksit met Sukadeva Gosvami just a week before his death, and the King was perplexed as to what should be done before he was to pass on. Many other sages also arrived there, but no one could give him the proper direction. Sukadeva Gosvami, however, gave this direction to him as follows: "My dear King, if you want to be fearless in meeting your death next week (for actually everyone is afraid at the point of death), then you must immediately begin the process of hearing and chanting and remembering God." If one can chant and hear Hare Krsna and always remember Lord Krsna, then he is sure to become fearless of death, which may come at any moment.
In the statements of Sukadeva Gosvami it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna. Therefore Sukadeva recommends that one should always hear about Krsna. He does not recommend that one hear and chant about the demigods. The Mayavadis (impersonalists) say that one may chant any name, either that of Krsna or those of the demigods, and the result will be the same. But actually this is not a fact. According to the authorized version of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one has to hear and chant about Lord Visnu (Krsna) only.
So Sukadeva Gosvami has recommended to Pariksit Maharaja that in order to be fearless of death, one has to hear and chant and remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, by all means. He also mentions that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sarvatma. Sarvatma means "the Supersoul of everyone." Krsna is also mentioned as isvara, the supreme controller who is situated in everyone's heart. Therefore, if some way or other we become attached to Krsna, He will make us free from all danger. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that anyone who becomes a devotee of the Lord is never vanquished. Others, however, are always vanquished. "Vanquished" means that after getting this human form of life, a person does not come out of the entanglement of birth and death and thus misses his golden opportunity. Such a person does not know where he is being thrown by the laws of nature.
Suppose one does not develop Krsna consciousness in this human form of life. He will be thrown into the cycle of birth and death, involving does not know whether he is going to be a plant, or a beast, or a bird, or something like that, because there are so many species of life. The recommendation of Rupa Gosvami for reviving our original Krsna consciousness is that somehow or other we should apply our minds to Krsna very seriously and thus also become fearless of death. After death we do not know our destination, because we are completely under the control of the laws of nature. Only Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller over the laws of nature. Therefore, if we take shelter of Krsna seriously, there will be no fear of being thrown back into the cycle of so many species of life. A sincere devotee will surely be transferred to the abode of Krsna, as affirmed in Bhagavad-gita.
In the Padma Purana, also, the same process is advised. There it is said that one should always remember Lord Visnu. This is called dhyana, or meditation--always remembering Krsna. It is said that one has to meditate with his mind fixed upon Visnu. Padma Purana recommends that one always fix his mind on the form of Visnu by meditation and not forget Him at any moment. And this state of consciousness is called samadhi, or trance.
We should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a way that we will constantly remember Visnu, or Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Whether one concentrates his mind on the four-handed form of Visnu or on the form of two-handed Krsna, it is the same. The Padma Purana recommends: somehow or other always think of Visnu, without forgetting Him under any circumstances. Actually this is the most basic of all regulative principles. For, when there is an order from a superior about doing something, there is simultaneously a prohibition. When the order is that one should always remember Krsna, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him. Within this simple order and prohibition, all regulative principles are found complete.
This regulative principle is applicable to all varnas and asramas, the castes and occupations of life. There are four varnas, namely the brahmanas (priests and intellectuals), the ksatriyas (warriors and statesmen), the vaisyas (businessmen and farmers) and the sudras (laborers and servants). There are also four standard asramas, namely brahmacarya (student life), grhastha (householder), vanaprastha (retired) and sannyasa (renounced). The regulative principles are not only for the brahmacaris (celibate students) to follow, but are applicable for all. It doesn't matter whether one is a beginner--a brahmacari--or is very advanced--a sannyasi. The principle of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly and not forgetting Him at any moment is meant to be followed by everyone without fail.
If this injunction is followed, then all other rules and regulations will automatically fall into line. All other rules and regulations should be treated as assistants or servants to this one basic principle. The injunctions of rules and regulations and the resultant reactions are mentioned in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Chapter, verses 2 and 3. Camasa Muni, one of the nine sages who came to instruct King Nimi, addressed the King and said, "The four social orders, namely the brahmanas, the ksatriyas, the vaisyas and the sudras, have come out of the different parts of the universal form of the Supreme Lord as follows: the brahmanas have come out from the head, the ksatriyas have come out from the arms, the vaisyas have come out from the waist, and the sudras have come out from the legs. Similarly, the sannyasis have come out from the head, the vanaprasthas from the arms, the grhasthas from the waist and the brahmacaris from the legs."
These different orders of society and grades of spiritual advancement are conceived in terms of qualification. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that the four social orders and the four spiritual orders are created by the Lord Himself, in terms of different individual qualities. As the different parts of the body have different types of activities, so the social orders and spiritual orders also have different types of activities in terms of qualification and position. The target of these activities, however, is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, "He is the supreme enjoyer." So, whether one is a brahmana or a sudra, one has to satisfy the Supreme Lord by one's activities. This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by a verse which reads, "Everyone must be engaged in his particular duty, but the perfection of such work should be tested by how far the Lord is satisfied with such activities." The injunction herein is that one has to act according to his position, and by such activities one must either satisfy the Supreme Personality or else fall down from one's position.
For example a brahmana, who is born out of the head of the Lord, has as his business to preach the transcendental Vedic sounds, or sabda-brahma. Because the brahmana is the head, he has to preach the transcendental sound, and he also has to eat on behalf of the Supreme Lord. According to Vedic injunctions, when a brahmana eats it is to be understood that the Personality of Godhead is eating through him. It is not, however, that the brahmana should simply eat on behalf of the Lord and not preach the message of Bhagavad-gita to the world. Actually, one who preaches the message of the Gita is very dear to Krsna, as is confirmed in the Gita itself. Such a preacher is factually a brahmana, and thus by feeding him one feeds the Supreme Lord directly.
Similarly, the ksatriya has to protect people from the onslaughts of maya. That is his duty. For example, as soon as Maharaja Pariksit saw that a black man was attempting to kill a cow, he immediately took his sword, wanting to kill the black man, whose name was Kali.<footnote> Not to be confused with Kali, the demigoddess who is the devastating feature That is a ksatriya's duty. Violence is required in order to give protection. In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna directly gave His order to Arjuna to commit violence on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, just to give protection to the people in general.
The vaisyas are meant for producing agricultural products, trading them and distributing them. And the working class, or sudras, are those who haven't the intelligence of the brahmanas or the ksatriyas or the vaisyas, and therefore they are meant to help these higher classes by bodily labor. In this way, there is full cooperation and spiritual advancement among all the different orders of society. And when there is no such cooperation, the members of society will fall down. That is the present position in the Kali-yuga, this age of quarrel. Nobody is doing his duty, and everyone is simply puffed up by calling himself a brahmana (intellectual) or a ksatriya (soldier or statesman). But actually such people are without status. They are out of touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are not Krsna conscious. Therefore, the Krsna consciousness movement is intended to set the whole of human society in proper condition, so that everyone will be happy and take profit from developing Krsna consciousness.
Lord Sri Krsna instructed Uddhava that by following the injunctions of the social and spiritual orders of human society, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as a result of such satisfaction the whole society gets all the necessities of life amply and without difficulty. This is because, after all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains all other living entities. If the whole society performs its respective duties and remains in Krsna consciousness, there is no doubt that all of its members will live very peacefully and happily. Without wanting the necessities of life, the whole world will be turned into Vaikuntha, a spiritual abode. Even without being transferred to the kingdom of God, by following the injunctions of Srimad-Bhagavatam and prosecuting the duties of Krsna consciousness all human society will be happy in all respects.
There is a similar statement by Sri Krsna Himself to Uddhava, in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twenty-seventh Chapter, verse 49. The Lord says there, "My dear Uddhava, all persons are engaged in activities, whether those indicated in the revealed scriptures or ordinary worldly activities. If by the result of either of such activities they worship Me in Krsna consciousness, then automatically they become very happy within this world, as well as in the next. Of this there is no doubt." We can conclude from this statement by Krsna that activities in Krsna consciousness will give everyone all perfection in all desires.
Thus the Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that there is no need of even designating oneself brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi. Let everyone be engaged in whatever occupation he now has. Simply let him worship Lord Krsna by the result of his activities in Krsna consciousness. That will adjust the whole situation, and everyone will be happy and peaceful within this world. In the Narada-pancaratra the regulative principles of devotional service are described as follows: "Any activities sanctioned in the revealed scriptures and aiming at the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are accepted by saintly teachers as the regulative principles of devotional service. If one regularly executes such service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, then gradually he rises to the platform of serving in pure love of God."
Chapter Three
Eligibility of the Candidate for Accepting Devotional Service
On account of his association with mahatmas, or great souls one hundred-percent in the devotional service of the Lord, one may attain a little bit of attraction for Sri Krsna. But at the same time one may remain very much attached to fruitive activities and material sense enjoyment and not be prepared to undergo the different types of renunciation. Such a person, if he has unflinching attraction to Krsna, becomes an eligible candidate for discharging devotional service.
This attraction for Krsna consciousness in association with pure devotees is the sign of great fortune. It is confirmed by Lord Caitanya that only the fortunate persons, by the mercy of both a bona fide spiritual master and Krsna, will get the seed of devotional service. In this connection, Lord Krsna says in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verse 8, "My dear Uddhava, only by exceptional fortune does someone become attracted to Me. And even if one is not completely detached from fruitive activities, or is not completely attached to devotional service, such service is quickly effective."
Devotees may be divided into three classes. The devotee in the first or uppermost class is described as follows. He is very expert in the study of relevant scriptures, and he is also expert in putting forward arguments in terms of those scriptures. He can very nicely present conclusions with perfect discretion and can consider the ways of devotional service in a decisive way. He understands perfectly that the ultimate goal of life is to attain to the transcendental loving service of Krsna, and he knows that Krsna is the only object of worship and love. This first-class devotee is one who has strictly followed the rules and regulations under the training of a bona fide spiritual master and has sincerely obeyed him in accord with revealed scriptures. Thus, being fully trained to preach and become a spiritual master himself, he is considered first class. The first-class devotee never deviates from the principles of higher authority, and he attains firm faith in the scriptures by understanding with all reason and arguments. When we speak of arguments and reason, it means arguments and reason on the basis of revealed scriptures. The first-class devotee is not interested in dry speculative methods meant for wasting time. In other words, one who has attained a mature determination in the matter of devotional service can be accepted as the first-class devotee.
The second-class devotee has been defined by the following symptoms: he is not very expert in arguing on the strength of revealed scripture, but he has firm faith in the objective. The purport of this description is that the second-class devotee has firm faith in the procedure of devotional service unto Krsna, but he may sometimes fail to offer arguments and decisions on the strength of revealed scripture to an opposing party. But at the same time he is still undaunted within himself as to his decision that Krsna is the supreme object of worship.
The neophyte or third-class devotee is one whose faith is not strong and who, at the same time, does not recognize the decision of the revealed scripture. The neophyte's faith can be changed by someone else with strong arguments or by an opposite decision. Unlike the second-class devotee, who also cannot put forward arguments and evidences from the scripture, but who still has all faith in the objective, the neophyte has no firm faith in the objective. Thus he is called the neophyte devotee.
Further classification of the neophyte devotee is made in the Bhagavad-gita. It is stated there that four classes of men--namely those who are distressed, those who are in need of money, those who are inquisitive and those who are wise--begin devotional service and come to the Lord for relief in the matter of their respective self-satisfaction. They go into some place of worship and pray to God for mitigation of material distress, or for some economic development, or to satisfy their inquisitiveness. And a wise man who simply realizes the greatness of God is also counted among the neophytes. Such beginners can be elevated to the second-class or first-class platform if they associate with pure devotees.
An example of the neophyte class is Maharaja Dhruva. He was in need of his father's kingdom and therefore engaged himself in devotional service to the Lord. Then in the end, when he was completely purified, he declined to accept any material benediction from the Lord. Similarly, Gajendra was distressed and prayed to Krsna for protection, after which he became a pure devotee. Similarly Sanaka, Sanatana, Sananda and Sanat-kumara were all in the category of wise, saintly persons, and they were also attracted by devotional service. A similar thing happened to the assemblage in the Naimisaranya Forest, headed by the sage Saunaka. They were inquisitive and were always asking Suta Gosvami about Krsna. Thus they achieved the association of a pure devotee and became pure devotees themselves. So that is the way of elevating oneself. In whatever condition one may be, if he is fortunate enough to associate with pure devotees, then very quickly he is elevated to the second-class or first-class platform.
These four types of devotees have been described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, and they have all been accepted as pious. Without becoming pious, no one can come to devotional service. It is explained in Bhagavad-gita that only one who has continually executed pious activities and whose sinful reactions in life have completely stopped can take to Krsna consciousness. Others cannot. The neophyte devotees are classified into four groups--the distressed, those in need of money, the inquisitive and the wise--according to their gradations of pious activities. Without pious activities, if a man is in a distressed condition he becomes an agnostic, a communist or something like that. Because he does not firmly believe in God, he thinks that he can adjust his distressed condition by totally disbelieving in Him.
Lord Krsna, however, has explained in the Gita that out of these four types of neophytes, the one who is wise is very dear to Him, because a wise man, if he is attached to Krsna, is not seeking an exchange of material benefits. A wise man who becomes attached to Krsna does not want any return from Him, either in the form of relieving distress or in gaining money. This means that from the very beginning his basic principle of attachment to Krsna is, more or less, love. Furthermore, due to his wisdom and study of sastras (scriptures), he can understand also that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vasudeva, knowing perfectly well that Krsna (Vasudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore, he sticks to the lotus feet of Krsna and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Krsna, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous, because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Krsna for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahatmas.
Without being elevated to the position of a jnani, or wise man, one cannot stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The less intelligent or those whose intelligence has been taken away by the spell of maya are attached to different demigods on account of the influence of the modes of nature. The wise man is he who has thoroughly understood that he is spirit soul and not simply a body. Because he realizes that he is spirit and Krsna is the supreme spirit, he knows that his intimate relationship should be with Krsna, not with this body. The distressed and the man in want of money are in the material concept of life, because distress and need of money are both in relationship with this body. One who is inquisitive may be a little above the distressed and the man in need of money, but still he is on the material platform. But a wise man who seeks Krsna knows perfectly well that he is spirit soul, or Brahman, and that Krsna is the supreme spirit soul, or Parabrahman. He knows that the spirit soul, being subordinate and finite, should always dovetail himself with the infinite and supreme soul, Krsna. That is the relationship of the wise man with Krsna.
It can be concluded that a person who is freed from the bodily concept of life is an eligible candidate for pure devotional service. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that after Brahman realization, when one is freed from material anxieties and can see every living entity on an equal level, he is eligible to enter into devotional service.
As stated before, there are three kinds of happiness--material, spiritual and devotional. Devotional service and the happiness due to its execution are not possible as long as one is materially affected. If someone has desire for material enjoyment or for becoming one with the Supreme, these are both considered material concepts. Because the impersonalists cannot appreciate the spiritual happiness of association and the exchange of loving affairs with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, their ultimate goal is to become one with the Lord. This concept is simply an extension of the material idea. In the material world, everyone is trying to be the topmost head man among all his fellow men or neighbors. Either communally, socially or nationally, everyone is competing to be greater than all others, in the material concept of life. This greatness can be extended to the unlimited, so that one actually wants to become one with the greatest of all, the Supreme Lord. This is also a material concept, although maybe a little more advanced.
However, the perfect spiritual concept of life is complete knowledge of one's constitutional position, in which one knows enough to dovetail himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. One must know that he is finite and that the Lord is infinite. Thus it is not possible to actually become one with the Lord even if one aspires for this. It is simply not possible. Therefore, anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste of devotional service. Srila Rupa Gosvami has therefore compared possessing these bhukti (material) and mukti (liberation) desires with being influenced by the black art of a witch: in both cases one is in trouble. Bhukti means material enjoyment, and mukti means to become freed from material anxiety and to become one with the Lord. These desires are compared to being haunted by ghosts and witches, because while these aspirations for material enjoyment or spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the actual transcendental taste of devotional service.
A pure devotee never cares for liberation. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu prayed to Krsna, "My dear son of Nanda, I do not want any material happiness in the shape of many followers, nor immense opulence in wealth, nor any beautiful wife, nor do I want cessation from material existence. I may take birth many times, one after another, but what I pray from You is that my devotion unto You may always remain unflinching."
The attention of a pure devotee is so much attracted to glorification of the Lord's pastimes, name, qualities, forms, etc., that the devotee does not care for mukti. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura has said, "If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me." To pure devotees, therefore, liberation and spiritual emancipation are not very important things.
In this connection, in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chapter Twenty-five, verse 36, Kapiladeva has advised His mother, Devahuti, as follows: "My dear mother, My pure devotees are charmed by seeing My different forms, the beauty of My face, the structure of My body so enchanting. My laughing, My pastimes and My glance appear to them so beautiful that their minds are always absorbed in thoughts of Me and their lives are dedicated fully unto Me. Although such people do not desire any kind of liberation or any kind of material happiness, still I give them a place among My associates in the supreme abode."
This evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam gives assurance to the pure devotee of being elevated to association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Rupa Gosvami remarks in this connection that one who is actually attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna or His service, and whose heart, by such attraction, is always full with transcendental bliss, will naturally never aspire after the liberation which is so valuable to the impersonalists.
A similar passage is also there in the Third Canto, Fourth Chapter, verse 15, of the same book, wherein Uddhava addresses Lord Krsna and says, "My dear Lord, for persons who are engaged in Your transcendental loving service there is nothing worth obtaining from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification or liberation--although happiness from these different sources can be very easily had by them. In spite of such facilities, my dear Lord, I do not aspire to achieve any such results. My only prayer is that I may have unflinching faith and devotion unto Your lotus feet."
A similar passage appears in the Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 34, wherein Kapiladeva instructs His mother and says, "My dear mother, devotees whose hearts are always filled in the service of My lotus feet and who are prepared to do anything for My satisfaction, especially those fortunate devotees who assemble together to understand My qualities, pastimes and form and thus glorify Me congregationally and derive transcendental pleasure therefrom, never desire to become one with Me. And what to speak of becoming one with Me, if they are offered a post like Mine in My abode, or opulence like Mine, or even personal association with Me with similar bodily features, they refuse to accept, because they are satisfied simply by being engaged in My devotional service."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, Ninth Chapter, verse 10, King Dhruva says, "My dear Lord, the transcendental pleasure derived by meditation upon Your lotus feet, which is enjoyed by the pure devotees, cannot be approached by the transcendental pleasure derived by the impersonalists through self-realization. So how can the fruitive workers, who at most can aspire to promotion to the higher heavenly planets, understand You, and how can they be described as enjoying a happiness similar to the devotees' happiness?"
Chapter Four
Devotional Service Surpasses All Liberation
How much a devotee is seriously attached to the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood from the statement of Maharaja Prthu (Adi-raja) which is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verse 24. He prays to the Supreme Personality of Godhead thus: "My dear Lord, if after taking liberation I have no chance of hearing the glories of Your Lordship, glories chanted by pure devotees from the core of their hearts in praise of Your lotus feet, and if I have no chance for this honey of transcendental bliss, then I shall never ask for liberation or this so-called spiritual emancipation. I shall simply always pray unto Your Lordship that You may give me millions of tongues and millions of ears, so that I can constantly chant and hear of Your transcendental glories."
The impersonalists desire to merge into the existence of the Supreme, but without keeping their individuality they have no chance of hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord. Because they have no idea of the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord, there is no chance of their chanting and hearing of His transcendental activities. In other words, unless one is already beyond liberation, one cannot relish the transcendental glories of the Lord, nor can one understand the transcendental form of the Lord.
A similar statement is found in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 44. Sukadeva Gosvami addresses Pariksit Maharaja there and says, "The great soul King Bharata was so much attached to the service of the lotus feet of Krsna that he very easily gave up his lordship over the earthly planet and his affection for his children, society, friends, royal opulence and beautiful wife. He was so very lucky that the goddess of fortune was pleased to offer him all kinds of material concessions, but he never accepted any of these material opulences." Sukadeva Gosvami praises this behavior of King Bharata very highly. He says, "Any person whose heart is attracted by the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Madhusudana, does not care even for that liberation which is aspired to by many great sages, what to speak of material opulences."
In the Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, Eleventh Chapter, verse 25, there is a similar statement by Vrtrasura, who addresses the Lord as follows: "My dear Lord, by leaving Your transcendental service I may be promoted to the planet called Dhruvaloka [the polestar], or I may gain lordship over all the planetary systems of the universe. But I do not aspire to this. Nor do I wish the mystic perfections of yoga practice, nor do I aspire to spiritual emancipation. All I wish for, my Lord, is Your association and transcendental service eternally."
This statement is confirmed by Lord Siva in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, Seventeenth Chapter, verse 28, wherein Lord Siva addresses Sati thus: "My dear Sati, persons who are devoted to Narayana [Krsna] are not afraid of anything. If they are elevated to the higher planetary systems, or if they get liberation from material contamination, or if they are pushed down to the hellish condition of life--or, in fact, in any situation whatever--they are not afraid of anything. Simply because they have taken shelter of the lotus feet of Narayana, for them any position in the material world is as good as another."
There is a similar statement by Indra, the King of heaven, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, verse 74. There Indra addresses mother Diti in this manner: "My dear mother, persons who have given up all kinds of desire and are simply engaged in devotional service to the Lord know what is actually their self-interest. Such persons are actually serving their self-interests and are considered first-class experts in the matter of advancing to the perfectional stage of life."
In the Seventh Canto of the Bhagavatam, Sixth Chapter, verse 25, Maharaja Prahlada says, "My dear friends born into atheistic families, if you can please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, then there is nothing more rare in this world. In other words, if the Supreme Lord Krsna is pleased with you, then any desire you may have within the core of your heart can be fulfilled without any doubt. As such, what is the use of elevating yourself by the results of fruitive activities, which are automatically achieved in all events by the modes of material nature? And what is the use for you of spiritual emancipation or liberation from material bondage? If you are always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord and always relishing the nectar of the lotus feet of the Lord, then there is no necessity for any of these." By this statement of Prahlada Maharaja it is clearly understood that one who takes pleasure in chanting and hearing the transcendental glories of the Lord has already surpassed all kinds of material benedictions, including the results of pious fruitive activities, sacrifices and even liberation from material bondage.
Similarly, in the same Seventh Canto, Eighth Chapter, verse 42, when the demigods are offering prayers to Lord Nrsimha, Indra the King of heaven says, "O supreme one, these demons talk of our share of participation in the performances of ritualistic sacrifices, but simply by Your appearance as Lord Nrsimhadeva You have saved us from terrible fears. Actually, our shares in the sacrificial performances are due to You only, because You are the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices. You are the Supersoul of every living entity, and therefore You are the actual owner of everything. Long were our hearts always filled with fear of this demon, Hiranyakasipu. But You are so kind toward us that by killing him You have removed that fear from within our hearts and have given us the chance to place Your Lordship within our hearts again. For persons who are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Your Lordship, all the opulences which were taken away from us by the demons are counted as nothing. Devotees do not care even for liberation, what to speak of these material opulences. Actually, we are not enjoyers of the fruits of sacrifices. Our only duty is to always be engaged in Your service, for You are the enjoyer of everything."
The purport of this statement by Indra is that beginning from Brahma down to the insignificant ant, no living entities are meant for enjoying the material opulences. They are simply meant for offering everything to the supreme proprietor, the Personality of Godhead. By doing so, they automatically enjoy the benefit. The example can be cited again of the different parts of the body collecting foodstuffs and cooking them so that ultimately a meal may be offered to the stomach. After it has gone to the stomach, all the parts of the body equally enjoy the benefit of the meal. So, similarly, everyone's duty is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and then automatically everyone will become satisfied.
A similar verse is found in the Eighth Canto, Third Chapter, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, verse 20. Gajendra says there, "My dear Lord, I have no experience of the transcendental bliss derived from Your devotional service, so therefore I have asked from You some favor. But I know that persons who are pure devotees and have, by serving the lotus feet of great souls, become freed from all material desires, are always merged in the ocean of transcendental bliss and, as such, are always satisfied simply by glorifying Your auspicious characteristics. For them there is nothing else to aspire to or pray for."
In the Ninth Canto of the Bhagavatam, Fourth Chapter, verse 67, the Lord of Vaikuntha replies to Durvasa Muni thus: "My pure devotees are always satisfied being engaged in devotional service, and therefore they do not aspire even after the five liberated stages, which are (1) to be one with Me, (2) to achieve residence on My planet, (3) to have My opulences, (4) to possess bodily features similar to Mine and (5) to gain personal association with Me. So when they are not interested even in these liberated positions, you can know how little they care for material opulences or material liberation."
There is a similar prayer by the naga-patnis (wives of the Kaliya serpent), in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixteenth Chapter, verse 37. The naga-patnis say there, "Dear Lord, the dust of Your lotus feet is very wonderful. Any person who is fortunate enough to achieve this dust does not care for heavenly planets, lordship over all the planetary systems, the mystic perfections of yoga, or even liberation from material existence. In other words, anyone who adores the dust of Your lotus feet does not care a fig for all other perfectional stages."
There is a similar statement in the Tenth Canto, Eighty-seventh Chapter, verse 21, wherein the Srutis, the Vedas personified, pray to the Lord as follows: "Dear Lord, it is very difficult to understand spiritual knowledge. Your appearance here, just as You are, is to explain to us this most difficult subject of knowledge of the spirit. As such, Your devotees who have left their domestic comforts to associate with the liberated acaryas [teachers] are now fully merged in the devotional service of Your Lordship, and thus they do not care for any so-called liberation."
In explaining this verse it should be noted that spiritual knowledge means understanding the self and the Supersoul, or Superself. The individual soul and the Supersoul are qualitatively one, and therefore both of them are known as Brahman, or spirit. But knowledge of Brahman is very difficult to understand. There are so many philosophers engaged in the matter of understanding the soul, but they are unable to make any tangible advancement. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that out of many millions of persons, only one may try to understand what is spiritual knowledge, and out of many such persons who are trying to understand, only one or a few may know what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this verse says that spiritual knowledge is very difficult to achieve, and so in order to make it more easily attainable, the Supreme Lord Himself comes in His original form as Sri Krsna and gives His instruction directly to an associate like Arjuna, just so that the people in general may take advantage of this spiritual knowledge. This verse also explains that liberation means having completely given up all the material comforts of life. Those who are impersonalists are satisfied by simply being liberated from the material circumstances, but those who are devotees can automatically give up material life and also enjoy the transcendental bliss of hearing and chanting the wonderful activities of Lord Krsna.
In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twentieth Chapter, verse 34, Lord Krsna says to Uddhava, "My dear Uddhava, the devotees who have completely taken shelter of My service are so steadfast in devotional service that they have no other desire. Even if they are offered the four kinds of spiritual opulences, *<footnote> The fifth kind of liberation, merging with the Supreme, is not considered an opulence in spiritual they will refuse to accept them. So what to speak of their desiring anything within the material world!" Similarly, Lord Krsna says in another passage of the Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 14, "My dear Uddhava, a person whose consciousness is completely absorbed in My thought and activities does not aspire even to occupy the post of Brahma, or the post of Indra, or the post of lordship over the planets, or the eight kinds of mystic perfections, or even liberation itself." In the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tenth Chapter, verse 6, Lord Siva says to Devi, "My dear Devi, this great brahmana sage Markandeya has attained unflinching faith and devotion unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such he does not aspire after any benedictions, including liberation from the material world."
Similarly, there is a statement in Padma Purana describing the ritualistic function during the month of Karttika (October-November). During this month, in Vrndavana it is the regulative principle to pray daily to Lord Krsna in His Damodara form. The Damodara form refers to Krsna in His childhood when He was tied up with rope by His mother, Yasoda. Dama means "ropes," and udara means "the abdomen." So mother Yasoda, being very disturbed by naughty Krsna, bound Him round the abdomen with a rope, and thus Krsna is named Damodara. During the month of Karttika, Damodara is prayed to as follows: "My dear Lord, You are the Lord of all, the giver of all benedictions." There are many demigods, like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, who sometimes offer benedictions to their respective devotees. For example, Ravana was blessed with many benedictions by Lord Siva, and Hiranyakasipu was blessed by Lord Brahma. But even Lord Siva and Lord Brahma depend upon the benedictions of Lord Krsna, and therefore Krsna is addressed as the Lord of all benefactors. As such, Lord Krsna can offer His devotees anything they want, but still, the devotee's prayer continues, "I do not ask You for liberation or any material facility up to the point of liberation. What I want as Your favor is that I may always think of Your form in which I see You now, as Damodara. You are so beautiful and attractive that my mind does not want anything besides this wonderful form." In this same prayer, there is another passage, in which it is said, "My dear Lord Damodara, once when You were playing as a naughty boy in the house of Nanda Maharaja, You broke the box containing yogurt, and because of that, mother Yasoda considered You an offender and tied You with rope to the household grinding mortar. At that time You delivered two sons of Kuvera, Nalakuvara and Manigriva, who were staying there as two arjuna trees in the yard of Nanda Maharaja. My only request is that by Your merciful pastimes You may similarly deliver me."
The story behind this verse is that the two sons of Kuvera (the treasurer of the demigods) were puffed up on account of the opulence of their father, and so once on a heavenly planet they were enjoying themselves in a lake with some naked damsels of heaven. At that time the great saint Narada Muni was passing on the road and was sorry to see the behavior of the sons of Kuvera. Seeing Narada passing by, the damsels of heaven covered their bodies with cloth, but the two sons, being drunkards, did not have this decency. Narada became angry with their behavior and cursed them thus: "You have no sense, so it is better if you become trees instead of the sons of Kuvera." Upon hearing this, the boys came to their senses and begged Narada to be pardoned for their offenses. Narada then said, "Yes, you shall become trees, arjuna trees, and you will stand in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaja. But Krsna Himself will appear in time as the foster son of Nanda, and He will deliver you." In other words, the curse of Narada was a benediction to the sons of Kuvera because indirectly it was foretold that they would be able to receive the favor of Lord Krsna. After that, Kuvera's two sons stood as two big arjuna trees in the courtyard of Nanda Maharaja until Lord Damodara, in order to fulfill the desire of Narada, dragged the grinding mortar to which He was tied and struck the two trees, violently causing them to fall down. From out of these fallen trees came Nalakuvara and Manigriva, who had by then become great devotees of the Lord.
There is a passage in the Hayasirsa-pancaratra which states, "My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I do not want any resultant benediction from my religious life, nor do I want any economic development, nor do I want to enjoy sense gratification, nor liberation. I simply pray to be an eternal servant at Your lotus feet. Kindly oblige me and give me this benediction."
In the same Hayasirsa-pancaratra, after Nrsimhadeva wanted to give benedictions to Prahlada Maharaja, Prahlada did not accept any material benediction and simply asked the favor of the Lord to remain His eternal devotee. In this connection, Prahlada Maharaja cited the example of Hanuman, the eternal servitor of Lord Ramacandra, who also set an example by never asking any material favor from the Lord. He always remained engaged in the Lord's service. That is the ideal character of Hanuman, for which he is still worshiped by all devotees. Prahlada Maharaja also offered his respectful obeisances unto Hanuman. There is a well-known verse spoken by Hanuman in which he says, "My dear Lord, if You like You can give me salvation from this material existence, or the privilege of merging into Your existence, but I do not wish any of these things. I do not want anything which diminishes my relationship with You as servant to master, even after liberation."
In a similar passage in the Narada-pancaratra it is stated, "My dear Lord, I do not wish any perfectional stage by performing the ritualistic religious ceremonies or by economic development or by sense gratification or liberation. I simply pray that You grant me the favor of keeping me under Your lotus feet. I do not wish any kind of liberation such as salokya (to reside on Your planet) or sarupya (to have the same bodily features as You). I simply pray for Your favor that I may be always engaged in Your loving service."
Similarly, in the Sixth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 5, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Maharaja Pariksit inquires from Sukadeva Gosvami, "My dear brahmana, I understand that the demon Vrtrasura was a greatly sinful person and that his mentality was completely absorbed in the modes of passion and ignorance. How did he develop to such a perfectional stage of devotional service to Narayana? I have heard that even great persons who have undergone severe austerities and who are liberated with full knowledge must strive to become devotees of the Lord. It is understood that such persons are very rare and almost never to be seen, so I am astonished that Vrtrasura became such a devotee!"
In the above verse, the most important thing to be noted is that there may be many liberated persons who have merged into the existence of the impersonal Brahman, but a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, is very, very rare. Even out of millions of liberated persons, only one is fortunate enough to become a devotee.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Eighth Chapter, verse 20, Queen Kunti is praying to Lord Krsna at the time of His departure, "My dear Krsna, You are so great that You are inconceivable even to great stalwart scholars and paramahamsas [fully liberated souls]. So if such great sages, who are transcendental to all the reactions of material existence, are unable to know You, then as far as we are concerned, belonging to the less intelligent woman class, how is it possible for us to know Your glories? How can we understand You?" In this verse, the particular thing to be noted is that the Personality of Godhead is not understood by great liberated persons, but only by devotees such as Queen Kunti in her humbleness. Although she was a woman and was considered less intelligent than a man, still she realized the glories of Krsna. That is the purport of this verse.
Another passage which is very important is in Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Seventh Chapter, verse 10, and is called "the atmarama verse." In this atmarama verse it is stated that even those who are completely liberated from material contamination are attracted by the transcendental qualities of Lord Krsna.*<footnote> This atmarama verse was once nicely explained by Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Goswami. There is a detailed explanation The purport of this verse is that a liberated soul has absolutely no desire at all for material enjoyment; he is wholly freed from all kinds of material desires, yet still he is irresistibly attracted by the desire to hear and understand the pastimes of the Lord. We may therefore conclude that the glories and pastimes of the Lord are not material. Otherwise, how could the liberated persons known as atmaramas be attracted by such pastimes? That is the important point in this verse.
From the above statement it is found that a devotee is not after any of the stages of liberation. There are five stages of liberation, already explained as being (1) to become one with the Lord, (2) to live on the same planet as the Lord, (3) to obtain the same bodily features as the Lord, (4) to have the same opulences as the Lord and (5) to have constant association with the Lord. Out of these five liberated stages, the one which is known as sayujya, or to merge into the existence of the Lord, is the last to be accepted by a devotee. The other four liberations, although not desired by devotees, still are not against the devotional ideals. Some of the liberated persons who have achieved these four stages of liberation may also develop affection for Krsna and be promoted to the Goloka Vrndavana planet in the spiritual sky. In other words, those who are already promoted to the Vaikuntha planets and who possess the four kinds of liberation may also sometimes develop affection for Krsna and become promoted to Krsnaloka.
So those who are in the four liberated states may still be going through different stages of existence. In the beginning they may want the opulences of Krsna, but at the mature stage the dormant love for Krsna exhibited in Vrndavana becomes prominent in their hearts. As such, the pure devotees never accept the liberation of sayujya, to become one with the Supreme, though sometimes they may accept as favorable the other four liberated states.
Out of many kinds of devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the one who is attracted to the original form of the Lord, Krsna in Vrndavana, is considered to be the foremost, first-class devotee. Such a devotee is never attracted by the opulences of Vaikuntha, or even of Dvaraka, the royal city where Krsna ruled. The conclusion of Sri Rupa Gosvami is that the devotees who are attracted by the pastimes of the Lord in Gokula, or Vrndavana,<footnote> Vrndavana is the transcendental place where Krsna enjoys His eternal pastimes as a boy, and it is considered the topmost sphere in all existence. When this Vrndavana is exhibited in the material world the place is called Gokula, and are the topmost devotees.
A devotee who is attached to a particular form of the Lord does not wish to redirect his devotion to other forms. For example, Hanuman, the devotee of Lord Ramacandra, knew that there is no difference between Lord Ramacandra and Lord Narayana, and yet he still wanted to render service only unto Lord Ramacandra. That is due to the specific attraction of a particular devotee. There are many, many forms of the Lord, but Krsna is still the original form. Though all of the devotees of the different forms of the Lord are in the same category, still it is said that those who are devotees of Lord Krsna are the topmost in the list of all devotees.
Chapter Five
The Purity of Devotional Service
All of the previous instructions imparted by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his broad statements can be summarized thus: as long as one is materially inclined or desirous of merging into the spiritual effulgence, one cannot enter into the realm of pure devotional service. Next, Rupa Gosvami states that devotional service is transcendental to all material considerations and that it is not limited to any particular country, class, society or circumstance. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, devotional service is transcendental and has no cause. Devotional service is executed without any hope for gain, and it cannot be checked by any material circumstances. It is open for all, without any distinction, and it is the constitutional occupation of the living entities.
In the Middle Ages, after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya's great associate Lord Nityananda, a class of priestly persons claimed to be the descendants of Nityananda, calling themselves the gosvami caste. They further claimed that the practice and spreading of devotional service belonged only to their particular class, which was known as Nityananda-vamsa. In this way, they exercised their artificial power for some time, until Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the powerful acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, completely smashed their idea. There was a great hard struggle for some time, but it has turned out successfully, and it is now correctly and practically established that devotional service is not restricted to a particular class of men. Besides that, anyone who is engaged in devotional service is already at the status of being a high-class brahmana. So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's struggle for this movement has come out successful.
It is on the basis of his position that anyone can now become a Gaudiya Vaisnava, from any part of the world or any part of the universe. Anyone who is a pure Vaisnava is situated transcendentally, and therefore the highest qualification in the material world, namely to be in the mode of goodness, has already been achieved by such a person. Our Krsna consciousness movement in the Western world is based on the above-mentioned proposition of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, our spiritual master. On his authority, we are claiming members from all sections of the Western countries. The so-called brahmanas claim that one who is not born into a brahmana family cannot receive the sacred thread and cannot become a high-grade Vaisnava. But we do not accept such a theory, because it is not supported by Rupa Gosvami nor by the strength of the various scriptures.
Srila Rupa Gosvami specifically mentions herein that every man has the birthright to accept devotional service and to become Krsna conscious. He has given many evidences from many scriptures, and he has especially quoted one passage from Padma Purana, wherein the sage Vasistha tells King Dilipa, "My dear King, everyone has the right to execute devotional service, just as he has the right to take early bath in the month of Magha [December-January]." There is more evidence in the Skanda Purana, in the Kasi-khanda portion, where it is said, "In the country known as Mayuradhvaja, the lower-caste people who are considered less than sudras are also initiated in the Vaisnava cult of devotional service. And when they are properly dressed, with tilaka on their bodies and beads in their hands and on their necks, they appear to be coming from Vaikuntha. In fact, they look so very beautiful that immediately they surpass the ordinary brahmanas."
Thus a Vaisnava automatically becomes a brahmana. This idea is also supported by Sanatana Gosvami in his book Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is the Vaisnava guide. Therein he has clearly stated that any person who is properly initiated into the Vaisnava cult certainly becomes a brahmana, as much as the metal known as kamsa (bell metal) is turned into gold by the mixture of mercury. A bona fide spiritual master, under the guidance of authorities, can turn anyone to the Vaisnava cult so that naturally he may come to the topmost position of a brahmana.
Srila Rupa Gosvami warns, however, that if a person is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, he should not think that simply by the acceptance of such initiation his business is then finished. One still has to follow the rules and regulations very carefully. If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. One must be very vigilant to remember that he is the part and parcel of the transcendental body of Krsna, and that it is his duty as part and parcel to give service to the whole, or Krsna. If we do not render service to Krsna then again we fall down. In other words, simply becoming initiated does not elevate one to the position of a high-class brahmana. One also has to discharge the duties and follow the regulative principles very rigidly.
Sri Rupa Gosvami also says that if one is regularly discharging devotional service, there will be no question of a falldown. But even if circumstantially there is some falldown, the Vaisnava need have nothing to do with the prayascitta, the ritualistic ceremony for purification. If someone falls down from the principles of devotional service, he need not take to the prayascitta performances for reformation. He simply has to execute the rules and regulations for discharging devotional service, and this is sufficient for his reinstatement. This is the mystery of the Vaisnava (devotional) cult.
Practically there are three processes for elevating one to the platform of spiritual consciousness. These processes are called karma, jnana and bhakti. Ritualistic performances are in the field of karma. Speculative processes are in the field of jnana. One who has taken to bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord, need have nothing to do with karma or jnana. It has been already explained that pure devotional service is without any tinge of karma or jnana. Bhakti should have no tinge of philosophical speculation or ritualistic performances.
In this connection Srila Rupa Gosvami gives evidence from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, Twenty-first Chapter, verse 2, in which Lord Krsna says to Uddhava, "The distinction between qualification and disqualification may be made in this way: persons who are already elevated in discharging devotional service will never again take shelter of the processes of fruitive activity or philosophical speculation. If one sticks to devotional service and is conducted by regulative principles given by the authorities and acaryas, that is the best qualification."
This statement is supported in Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 17, wherein Sri Narada Muni advises Vyasadeva thus: "Even if one does not execute his specific occupational duty, but immediately takes direct shelter of the lotus feet of Hari [Krsna], there will be no fault on his part, and in all circumstances his position is secure. Even if, by some bad association, he falls down while executing devotional service, or if he doesn't finish the complete course of devotional service and dies untimely, still he is not at a loss. A person who is simply discharging his occupational duty in varna and asrama, however, with no Krsna consciousness, practically does not gain the true benefit of human life." The purport is that all conditioned souls who are engaged very frantically in activities for sense gratification, without knowing that this process will never help them get out of material contamination, are awarded only with repeated births and deaths.
In the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clearly stated by Rsabhadeva to His sons, "Persons engaged in fruitive activities are repeatedly accepting birth and death, and until they develop a loving feeling for Vasudeva, there will be no question of getting out from these stringent laws of material nature." As such, any person who is very seriously engaged in his occupational duties in the varnas and asramas, and who does not develop love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, should be understood to be simply spoiling his human form of life.
This is confirmed also in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Chapter, verse 32, in which. the Lord says to Uddhava, "My dear Uddhava, any person who takes shelter of Me in complete surrender and follows My instructions, giving up all occupational duties, is to be considered the first-class man." In this statement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is understood that people who are generally attracted to philanthropic, ethical, moral, altruistic, political and social welfare activities may be considered nice men only in the calculation of the material world. From Srimad-Bhagavatam and other authentic Vedic scriptures we learn further that if a person simply acts in Krsna consciousness and discharges devotional service, he is considered to be far, far better situated than all of those persons engaged in philanthropic, ethical, moral, altruistic and social welfare activities.
The same thing is still more emphatically confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 41, in which Karabhajana Muni addresses Maharaja Nimi as follows: "My dear King, if someone gives up his occupational duties as they are prescribed for the different varnas and asramas, but takes complete shelter, surrendering himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, such a person is no more a debtor, nor has he any obligation to perform the different kinds of activities we render to the great sages, ancestors, living entities and family and society members. Nor has he any need to bother executing the five kinds of yajnas [sacrifices] for becoming free from sinful contamination. Simply by discharging devotional service, he is freed from all kinds of obligations." The purport is that as soon as a man takes his birth, he is immediately indebted to so many sources. He is indebted to the great sages because he profits by reading their authoritative scriptures and books. For example, we take advantage of the books written by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva has left for us all the Vedas. Before Vyasadeva's writing, the Vedic literature was simply heard, and the disciples would learn the mantras quickly by hearing and not by reading. Later on, Vyasadeva thought it wise to write down the Vedas, because in this age people are short-memoried and unable to remember all the instructions given by the spiritual master. Therefore, he left all the Vedic knowledge in the form of books, such as the Puranas, Vedanta, Mahabharata and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
There are many other sages, like Sankaracarya, Gautama Muni and Narada Muni, to whom we are indebted because we take advantage of their knowledge. Similarly, we are obliged to our forefathers, because we take our birth in a particular family, where we take all advantages and inherit property. Therefore, we are indebted to the forefathers and have to offer them pinda (prasada) after they are dead. Similarly, to the people in general we are also indebted, as well as to our relatives, friends and even animals such as cows and dogs who render us so much service.
In this way, we are indebted to the demigods, to the forefathers, to the sages, to the animals and to society in general. It is our duty to repay them all by proper discharge of service. But by the one stroke of devotional service, if someone gives up all obligations and simply surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is no longer a debtor, nor obliged to any other source of benefit.
In Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says, "Give up all your occupations and just become surrendered unto Me. I give you assurance that I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." One may think that because he is surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead he will not be able to perform all of his other obligations. But the Lord says repeatedly, "Don't hesitate. Don't consider that because you are giving up all other engagements there will be some flaw in your life. Don't think like that. I will give you all protection." That is the assurance of Lord Krsna in Bhagavad-gita.
There is additional evidence in the Agastya-samhita: "As the regulative principles of scripture are not required by a liberated person, so the ritualistic principles indicated in the Vedic supplements are also not required for a person duly engaged in the service of Lord Ramacandra." In other words, the devotees of Lord Ramacandra, or Krsna, are already liberated persons and are not required to follow all the regulative principles mentioned in the ritualistic portions of the Vedic literature.
Similarly, in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fifth Chapter, verse 42, Karabhajana Muni addresses King Nimi and says, "My dear King, a person who has given up the worship of the demigods and has completely concentrated his energy in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has become very, very dear to the Lord. As such, if by chance or mistake he does something which is forbidden, there is no need for him to perform any purificatory ceremonies. Because the Lord is situated within his heart, He takes compassion for the devotee's accidental mistake and corrects him from within." It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita in many places that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, takes a special interest in His devotees and declares emphatically that nothing can cause His devotees to fall down. He is always protecting them.
Chapter Six
How to Discharge Devotional Service
Srila Rupa Gosvami states that his elder brother (Sanatana Gosvami) has compiled Hari-bhakti-vilasa for the guidance of the Vaisnavas and therein has mentioned many rules and regulations to be followed by the Vaisnavas. Some of them are very important and prominent, and Srila Rupa Gosvami will now mention these very important items for our benefit. The purport of this statement is that Srila Rupa Gosvami proposes to mention only basic principles, not details. For example, a basic principle is that one has to accept a spiritual master. Exactly how one follows the instructions of his spiritual master is considered a detail. For example, if one is following the instruction of his spiritual master and that instruction is different from the instructions of another spiritual master, this is called detailed information. But the basic principle of acceptance of a spiritual master is good everywhere, although the details may be different. Srila Rupa Gosvami does not wish to enter into details here, but wants to place before us only the principles.
He mentions the basic principles as follows: (1) accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, (2) becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him, (3) obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion, (4) following in the footsteps of great acaryas (teachers) under the direction of the spiritual master, (5) inquiring from the spiritual master how to advance in Krsna consciousness, (6) being prepared to give up anything material for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna (this means that when we are engaged in the devotional service of Krsna, we must be prepared to give up something which we may not like to give up, and also we have to accept something which we may not like to accept), (7) residing in a sacred place of pilgrimage like Dvaraka or Vrndavana, (8) accepting only what is necessary, or dealing with the material world only as far as necessary, (9) observing the fasting day on Ekadasi and (10) worshiping sacred trees like the banyan tree.
These ten items are preliminary necessities for beginning the discharge of devotional service in regulative principles. In the beginning, if a neophyte devotee observes the above-mentioned ten principles, surely he will quickly make good advancement in Krsna consciousness.
The next set of instructions is listed as follows: (1) One should rigidly give up the company of nondevotees. (2) One should not instruct a person who is not desirous of accepting devotional service. (3) One should not be very enthusiastic about constructing costly temples or monasteries. (4) One should not try to read too many books, nor should one develop the idea of earning his livelihood by lecturing on or professionally reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita. (5) One should not be neglectful in ordinary dealings. (6) One should not be under the spell of lamentation in loss or jubilation in gain. (7) One should not disrespect the demigods. (8) One should not give unnecessary trouble to any living entity. (9) One should carefully avoid the various offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord or in worshiping the Deity in the temple. (10) One should be very intolerant toward the blasphemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or His devotees.
Without following the above-mentioned ten principles, one cannot properly elevate himself to the platform of sadhana-bhakti, or devotional service in practice. Altogether, Srila Rupa Gosvami mentions twenty items, and all of them are very important. Out of the twenty, the first three--namely accepting the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, taking initiation from him and serving him with respect and reverence--are the most important.
The next important items are as follows: (1) One should decorate the body with tilaka, which is the sign of the Vaisnavas. (The idea is that as soon as a person sees these marks on the body of the Vaisnava, he will immediately remember Krsna. Lord Caitanya said that a Vaisnava is he who, when seen, reminds one of Krsna. Therefore, it is essential that a Vaisnava mark his body with tilaka to remind others of Krsna.) (2) In marking such tilaka, sometimes one may write Hare Krsna on the body. (3) One should accept flowers and garlands that have been offered to the Deity and the spiritual master and put them on one's body. (4) One should learn to dance before the Deity. (5) One should learn to bow down immediately upon seeing the Deity or the spiritual master. (6) As soon as one visits a temple of Lord Krsna, one must stand up. (7) When the Deity is being borne for a stroll in the street, a devotee should immediately follow the procession. (In this connection it may be noted that in India, especially in Visnu temples, the system is that apart from the big Deity who is permanently situated in the main area of the temple, there is a set of smaller Deities which are taken in procession in the evening. In some temples it is the custom to hold a big procession in the evening with a band playing and a nice big umbrella over the Deities, who sit on decorated thrones on the cart or palanquin, which is carried by devotees. The Deities come out onto the street and travel in the neighborhood while the people of the neighborhood come out to offer prasada. The residents of the neighborhood all follow the procession, so it is a very nice scene. When the Deity is coming out, the servitors in the temple put forward the daily accounts before Them: so much was the collection, so much was the expenditure. The whole idea is that the Deity is considered to be the proprietor of the whole establishment, and all the priests and other people taking care of the temple are considered to be the servants of the Deity. This system is very, very old and is still followed. So, therefore, it is mentioned here that when the Deity is on stroll the people should follow behind.) (8) A devotee must visit a Visnu temple at least once or twice every day, morning and evening. (In Vrndavana this system is followed very strictly. All the devotees in town go every morning and evening to visit different temples. Therefore during these times there are considerable crowds all over the city. There are about five thousand temples in Vrndavana city. Of course it is not possible to visit all the temples, but there are at least one dozen very big and important temples which were started by the Gosvamis and which should be visited.) (9) One must circumambulate the temple building at least three times. (In every temple there is an arrangement to go around the temple at least three times. Some devotees go around more than three times--ten times, fifteen times--according to their vows. The Gosvamis used to circumambulate Govardhana Hill.) One should also circumambulate the whole Vrndavana area. (10) One must worship the Deity in the temple according to the regulative principles. (Offering arati and prasada, decorating the Deity, etc.--these things must be observed regularly.) (11) One must render personal service to the Deities. (12) One must sing. (13) One must perform sankirtana. (14) One must chant. (15) One must offer prayers. (16) One must recite notable prayers. (17) One must taste maha-prasada (food from the very plate offered before the Deities). (18) One must drink caranamrta (water from the bathing of the Deities, which is offered to guests). (19) One must smell the incense and flowers offered to the Deity. (20) One must touch the lotus feet of the Deity. (21) One must see the Deity with great devotion. (22) One must offer arati (aratrika) at different times. (23) One must hear about the Lord and His pastimes from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and similar books. (24) One must pray to the Deity for His mercy. (25) One should remember the Deity. (26) One should meditate upon the Deity. (27) One should render some voluntary service. (28) One should think of the Lord as one's friend. (29) One should offer everything to the Lord. (30) One should offer a favorite article (such as food or a garment). (31) One should take all kinds of risks and perform all endeavors for Krsna's benefit. (32) In every condition, one should be a surrendered soul. (33) One should pour water on the tulasi tree. (34) One should regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and similar literature. (35) One should live in a sacred place like Mathura, Vrndavana or Dvaraka. (36) One should offer service to Vaisnavas (devotees). (37) One should arrange one's devotional service according to one's means. (38) In the month of Karttika (October and November), one should make arrangements for special services. (39) During Janmastami (the time of Krsna's appearance in this world) one should observe a special service. (40) One should do whatever is done with great care and devotion for the Deity. (41) One should relish the pleasure of Bhagavatam reading among devotees and not among outsiders. (42) One should associate with devotees who are considered more advanced. (43) One should chant the holy name of the Lord. (44) One should live in the jurisdiction of Mathura.
Now, the total regulative principles come to an aggregate of sixty-four items. As we have mentioned, the first are the primary ten regulative principles. Then come the secondary ten regulative principles, and added to these are forty-four other activities. So all together there are sixty-four items for discharging the regulative practice of devotional service. Out of these sixty-four items, five items--namely worshiping the Deity, hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, associating among the devotees, sankirtana, and living in Mathura--are very important.
The sixty-four items of devotional service should include all of our activities of body, mind and speech. As stated in the beginning, the regulative principle of devotional service enjoins that all of our senses must be employed in the service of the Lord. Exactly how they can be thus employed is described in the above sixty-four items. Now, Srila Rupa Gosvami will give evidence from different scriptures supporting the authenticity of many of these points.
Chapter Seven
Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles
Accepting the Shelter of a Bona Fide Spiritual Master
In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Chapter, verse 21, Prabuddha tells Maharaja Nimi, "My dear King, please know for certain that in the material world there is no happiness. It is simply a mistake to think that there is happiness here, because this place is full of nothing but miserable conditions. Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters. Everyone should try to find such a bona fide spiritual master in order to fulfill his mission of life, which is to transfer himself to the plane of spiritual bliss."
The purport is that one should not accept as a spiritual master someone who is fool number one, who has no direction according to the scriptural injunctions, whose character is doubtful, who does not follow the principles of devotional service, or who has not conquered the influence of the six sense-gratifying agents. The six agents of sense gratification are the tongue, the genitals, the belly, anger, the mind and words. Anyone who has practiced controlling these six is permitted to make disciples all over the world. To accept such a spiritual master is the crucial point for advancement in spiritual life. One who is fortunate enough to come under the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master is sure to traverse the path of spiritual salvation without any doubt.
Accepting Initiation from the Spiritual Master
and
Receiving Instructions from Him
Sage Prabuddha continued to speak to the King as follows: "My dear King, a disciple has to accept the spiritual master not only as spiritual master, but also as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul. In other words, the disciple should accept the spiritual master as God, because he is the external manifestation of Krsna. This is confirmed in every scripture, and a disciple should accept the spiritual master as such. One should learn Srimad-Bhagavatam seriously and with all respect and veneration for the spiritual master. Hearing and speaking Srimad-Bhagavatam is the religious process which elevates one to the platform of serving and loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The attitude of the disciple should be to satisfy the bona fide spiritual master. Then it will be very easy for him to understand spiritual knowledge. This is confirmed in the Vedas, and Rupa Gosvami will further explain that for a person who has unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master, everything becomes revealed very easily.
Serving the Spiritual Master with Faith and Confidence
Regarding accepting initiation from the spiritual master, in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventeenth Chapter, verse 27, it is stated by Lord Krsna, "My dear Uddhava, the spiritual master must be accepted not only as My representative, but as My very self. He must never be considered on the same level with an ordinary human being. One should never be envious of the spiritual master, as one may be envious of an ordinary man. The spiritual master should always be seen as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by serving the spiritual master one is able to serve all the demigods."
Following in the Footsteps of Saintly Persons
In the Skanda Purana it is advised that a devotee follow the past acaryas and saintly persons, because by such following one can achieve the desired results, with no chance of lamenting or being baffled in his progress.
The scripture known as Brahma-yamala states as follows: "If someone wants to pose himself as a great devotee without following the authorities of the revealed scriptures, then his activities will never help him to make progress in devotional service. Instead, he will simply create disturbances for the sincere students of devotional service." Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are generally called sahajiyas--those who have imagined everything to be cheap, who have their own concocted ideas, and who do not follow the scriptural injunctions. Such persons are simply creating disturbances in the discharge of devotional service.
In this connection, an objection may be raised by those who are not in devotional service and who do not care for the revealed scriptures. An example of this is seen in Buddhist philosophy. Lord Buddha appeared in the family of a high-grade ksatriya king, but his philosophy was not in accord with the Vedic conclusions and therefore was rejected. Under the patronage of a Hindu king, Maharaja Asoka, the Buddhist religion was spread all over India and the adjoining countries. However, after the appearance of the great stalwart teacher Sankaracarya, this Buddhism was driven out beyond the borders of India.
The Buddhists or other religionists who do not care for revealed scriptures sometimes say that there are many devotees of Lord Buddha who show devotional service to Lord Buddha, and who therefore should be considered devotees. In answer to this argument, Rupa Gosvami says that the followers of Buddha cannot be accepted as devotees. Although Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna, the followers of such incarnations are not very advanced in their knowledge of the Vedas. To study the Vedas means to come to the conclusion of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore any religious principle which denies the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead is not accepted and is called atheism. Atheism means defying the authority of the Vedas and decrying the great acaryas who teach Vedic scriptures for the benefit of the people in general.
Lord Buddha is accepted as an incarnation of Krsna in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, but in the same Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that Lord Buddha appeared in order to bewilder the atheistic class of men. Therefore his philosophy is meant for bewildering the atheists and should not be accepted. If someone asks, "Why should Krsna propagate atheistic principles?" the answer is that it was the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to end the violence which was then being committed in the name of the Vedas. The so-called religionists were falsely using the Vedas to justify such violent acts as meat-eating, and Lord Buddha came to lead the fallen people away from such a false interpretation of the Vedas. Also, for the atheists Lord Buddha preached atheism so that they would follow him and thus be tricked into devotional service to Lord Buddha, or Krsna.
Inquiring About Eternal Religious principles
In the Naradiya Purana it is said, "If one is actually very serious about devotional service, then all of his purposes will be served without any delay."
Being Prepared to Give Up Everything Material for Krsna's Satisfaction
In the Padma Purana it is stated, "For one who has given up his material sense enjoyment and has accepted the principles of devotional service, the opulence of Visnuloka [the kingdom of God] is awaiting."
Residing in a Sacred Place
In the Skanda Purana it is also said that for a person who has lived in Dvaraka for six months, for one month, or even for one fortnight, there is awaiting elevation to the Vaikunthalokas and all the profits of sarupya-mukti (the privilege of having the same four-handed bodily features as Narayana).
In the Brahma Purana it is said, "The transcendental significance of Purusottama-ksetra, which is the eighty-square-mile field of Lord Jagannatha, cannot be properly described. Even the demigods from higher planetary systems see the inhabitants of this Jagannatha Puri as having exactly the same bodily features possessed by one in Vaikuntha. That is, the demigods see the inhabitants of Jagannatha Puri as being four-handed."
When there was a meeting of great sages at Naimisaranya, Suta Gosvami was reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the importance of the Ganges was stated as follows: "The waters of the Ganges are always carrying the flavor of tulasi offered at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, and as such the waters of the Ganges are ever flowing, spreading the glories of Lord Krsna. Wherever the waters of the Ganges are flowing, all will be sanctified, both externally and internally."
Accepting Only What Is Necessary
In the Naradiya Purana it is directed, "One should not accept more than necessary if he is serious about discharging devotional service." The purport is that one should not neglect following the principles of devotional service, nor should one accept the rulings of devotional service which are more than what he can easily perform. For example, it may be said that one should chant the Hare Krsna mantra at least one hundred thousand times daily on his beads. But if this is not possible, then one must minimize his chanting according to his own capacity. Generally, we recommend our disciples to chant at least sixteen rounds on their japa beads daily, and this should be completed. But if one is not even able to chant sixteen rounds, then he must make it up the next day. He must be sure to keep his vow. If he does not strictly follow this out, then he is sure to be negligent. That is offensive in the service of the Lord. If we encourage offenses, we shall not be able to make progress in devotional service. It is better if one fixes up a regulative principle according to his own ability and then follows that vow without fail. That will make him advanced in spiritual life.
Observing Fasting on Ekadasi
In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekadasi day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. The basic principle is not just to fast, but to increase one's faith and love for Govinda, or Krsna. The real reason for observing fasting on Ekadasi is to minimize the demands of the body and to engage our time in the service of the Lord by chanting or performing similar service. The best thing to do on fasting days is to remember the pastimes of Govinda and to hear His holy name constantly.
Offering Respect to the Banyan Trees
In the Skanda Purana it is directed that a devotee should offer water to the tulasi plant and amalaka trees. He should offer respect to the cows and to the brahmanas and should serve the Vaisnavas by offering them respectful obeisances and meditating upon them. All of these processes will help the devotee to diminish the reactions to his past sinful activities.
Giving Up the Company of Nondevotees
Lord Caitanya was once asked by one of His householder devotees what the general behavior of a Vaisnava should be. In this connection, Lord Caitanya replied that a Vaisnava should always give up the company of nondevotees. Then He explained that there are two kinds of nondevotees: one class is against the supremacy of Krsna, and another class is too materialistic. In other words, those who are after material enjoyment and those who are against the supremacy of the Lord are called avaisnava, and their company should be strictly avoided.
In the Katyayana-samhita it is stated that even if one is forced to live within a cage of iron or in the midst of a blazing fire, he should accept this position rather than live with nondevotees who are through and through against the supremacy of the Lord. Similarly, in the Visnu-rahasya there is a statement to the effect that one should prefer to embrace a snake, a tiger or an alligator rather than associate with persons who are worshipers of various demigods and who are impelled by material desire.
In the scriptures it is instructed that one may worship a certain demigod if he is desirous of achieving some material gain. For example, one is advised to worship the sun-god if he is desirous of getting rid of a diseased condition. For a beautiful wife, one may worship Uma, the wife of Lord Siva, and for advanced education one may worship Sarasvati. Similarly, there is a list in the Srimad-Bhagavatam for worshipers of all demigods, according to different material desires. But all of these worshipers, although they appear to be very good devotees of the demigods, are still considered to be nondevotees. They cannot be accepted as devotees.
The Mayavadis (impersonalists) say that one may worship any form of the Lord and that it doesn't matter, because one reaches the same destination anyway. But it is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita that those who are worshipers of the demigods will ultimately reach only the planets of those demigods, while those who are devotees of the Lord Himself will be promoted to the Lord's abode, the kingdom of God. So actually these persons who are worshipers of demigods have been condemned in the Gita. It is described that due to their lusty desires they have lost their intelligence and have therefore taken to worshiping the different demigods. So in the Visnu-rahasya these demigod worshipers are forcefully condemned by the statement that it is better to live with the most dangerous animals than to associate with these persons.
Not Accepting Unfit Disciples,
Constructing Many Temples
or Reading Many Books
Another stricture is that a person may have many disciples, but he should not act in such a way that he will be obliged to any of them for some particular action or some favor. And one should also not be very enthusiastic about constructing new temples, nor should one be enthusiastic about reading various types of books, save and except the ones which lead to the advancement of devotional service. Practically, if one very carefully reads Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya and this Nectar of Devotion, that will give him sufficient knowledge to understand the science of Krsna consciousness. One need not take the trouble of reading other books.
In the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Thirteenth Chapter, verse 8, Narada Muni, while discussing with Maharaja Yudhisthira the various functions of the different orders in society, especially mentions rules for the sannyasis, those persons who have renounced this material world. One who has accepted the sannyasa order of life is forbidden to accept as a disciple anyone who is not fit. A sannyasi should first of all examine whether a prospective student is sincerely seeking Krsna consciousness. If he is not, he should not be accepted. However, Lord Caitanya's causeless mercy is such that He advised all bona fide spiritual masters to speak about Krsna consciousness everywhere. Therefore, in the line of Lord Caitanya even the sannyasis can speak about Krsna consciousness everywhere, and if someone is seriously inclined to become a disciple, the sannyasi always accepts him.
The one point is that without increasing the number of disciples, there is no propagation of the cult of Krsna consciousness. Therefore, sometimes even at a risk, a sannyasi in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu may accept even a person who is not thoroughly fit to become a disciple. Later on, by the mercy of such a bona fide spiritual master, the disciple is gradually elevated. However, if one increases the number of disciples simply for some prestige or false honor, he will surely fall down in the matter of executing Krsna consciousness.
Similarly, a bona fide spiritual master has no business reading many books simply to show his proficiency or to get popularity by lecturing in different places. One should avoid all these things. It is also stated that a sannyasi should not be enthusiastic about constructing temples. We can see in the lives of various acaryas in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that they are not very enthusiastic about constructing temples. However, if somebody comes forward to offer some service, the same reluctant acaryas will encourage the building of costly temples by such servitors. For example, Rupa Gosvami was offered a favor by Maharaja Mansingh, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Akhbar, and Rupa Gosvami instructed him to construct a large temple for Govindaji, which cost vast amounts of money.
So a bona fide spiritual master should not personally take any responsibility for constructing temples, but if someone has money and wants to spend it in the service of Krsna, an acarya like Rupa Gosvami may utilize the devotee's money to construct a nice, costly temple for the service of the Lord. Unfortunately, it happens that someone who is not fit to become a spiritual master may approach wealthy persons to contribute for temple constructions. If such money is utilized by unqualified spiritual masters for living comfortably in costly temples without actually doing any preaching work, this is not acceptable. In other words, a spiritual master needn't be very enthusiastic for constructing temple buildings simply in the name of so-called spiritual advancement. Rather, his first and foremost activity should be to preach. In this connection, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja recommended that a spiritual master print books. If one has money, instead of constructing costly temples, one should spend his money for the publication of authorized books in different languages for propagating the Krsna consciousness movement.
Straightforwardness in Ordinary Dealings
and
Equilibrium in Loss and Gain
There is a statement in the Padma Purana: "Persons who are engaged in Krsna consciousness should never be disturbed by some material gain or loss. Even if there is some material loss, one should not be perturbed, but should always think of Krsna within himself." The purport is that every conditioned soul is always absorbed in thinking of materialistic activities; he has to free himself from such thoughts and transfer himself completely to Krsna consciousness. As we have already explained, the basic principle of Krsna consciousness is to always think of Krsna. One should not be disturbed in material loss, but, rather, should concentrate his mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord.
A devotee should not be subjected to lamentation or illusion. There is the following statement in the Padma Purana: "Within the heart of a person who is overpowered by lamentation or anger, there is no possibility of Krsna's being manifested."
The Demigods
One should not neglect to offer due respect to the demigods. One may not be a devotee of demigods, but that does not mean that he should be disrespectful to them. For example, a Vaisnava is not a devotee of Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, but he is duty-bound to offer all respects to such highly positioned demigods. According to Vaisnava philosophy, one should offer respect even to an ant, so then what is there to speak of such exalted persons as Lord Siva and Lord Brahma?
In the Padma Purana it is said, "Krsna, or Hari, is the master of all demigods, and therefore He is always worshipable. But this does not mean that one should not offer respect to the demigods."
Not Giving Pain to Any Living Entity
This is the statement of Mahabharata: "A person who does not disturb or cause painful action in the mind of any living entity, who treats everyone just like a loving father does his children, whose heart is so pure, certainly very soon becomes favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In so-called civilized society there is sometimes agitation against cruelty to animals, but at the same time regular slaughterhouses are always maintained. A Vaisnava is not like that. A Vaisnava can never support animal slaughter or even give pain to any living entity.
Chapter Eight
Offenses to Be Avoided
In the supplementary Vedic literature, there is the following list of thirty-two offenses in the matter of serving the Lord: (1) One should not enter the temple of the Deity in a car or palanquin or with shoes on the feet. (2) One should not fail to observe the various festivals for the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Janmastami and Ratha-yatra. (3) One should not avoid bowing down before the Deity. (4) One should not enter the temple to worship the Lord without having washed one's hands and feet after eating. (5) One should not enter the temple in a contaminated state. (According to Vedic scripture, if someone dies in the family the whole family becomes contaminated for some time, according to its status. For example, if the family is brahmana their contamination period is twelve days, for the ksatriyas and vaisyas it is fifteen days, and for sudras thirty days.) (6) One should not bow down on one hand. (7) One should not circumambulate in front of Sri Krsna. (The process of circumambulating the temple is that one should begin circumambulating from the Deity's right-hand side of the temple and come round. Such circumambulation should be performed outside the temple structure at least three times daily.) (8) One should not spread his legs before the Deity. (9) One should not sit before the Deity holding the ankles, elbows or knees with one's hands. (10) One should not lie down before the Deity of Krsna. (11) One should not accept prasada before the Deity. (12) One should never speak a lie before the Deity. (13) One should not talk very loudly before the Deity. (14) One should not talk with others before the Deity. (15) One should not cry or howl before the Deity. (16) One should not quarrel or fight before the Deity. (17) One should not chastise anyone before the Deity. (18) One should not be charitable to beggars before the Deity. (19) One should not speak very harshly to others before the Deity. (20) One should not wear a fur blanket before the Deity. (21) One should not eulogize or praise anyone else before the Deity. (22) One should not speak any ill names before the Deity. (23) One should not pass air before the Deity. (24) One should not fail to worship the Deity according to one's means. (In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that the Lord is satisfied if some devotee offers Him even a leaf or a little water. This formula prescribed by the Lord is universally applicable, even for the poorest man. But that does not mean that one who has sufficient means to worship the Lord very nicely should also adopt this method and try to satisfy the Lord simply by offering water and a leaf. If he has sufficient means, he should offer nice decorations, nice flowers and nice foodstuffs and observe all ceremonies. It is not that one should try to satisfy the Supreme Lord with a little water and a leaf, and for himself spend all his money in sense gratification.) (25) One should not eat anything which is not offered first to Krsna. (26) One should not fail to offer fresh fruit and grains to Krsna, according to the season. (27) After food has been cooked, no one should be offered any foodstuff unless it is first offered to the Deity. (28) One should not sit with his back toward the Deity. (29) One should not offer obeisances silently to the spiritual master, or in other words, one should recite aloud the prayers to the spiritual master while offering obeisances. (30) One should not fail to offer some praise in the presence of the spiritual master. (31) One should not praise himself before the spiritual master. (32) One should not deride the demigods before the Deity.
This is a list of thirty-two offenses. Besides these, there are a number of offenses which are mentioned in the Varaha Purana. They are as follows: (1) One should not touch the Deity in a dark room. (2) One should not fail to strictly follow the rules and regulations in worshiping the Deity. (3) One should not enter the temple of the Deity without first making some sound. (4) One should not offer any foodstuff to the Deity which has been seen by dogs or other lower animals. (5) One should not break silence while worshiping. (6) One should not pass urine or evacuate while engaged in worshiping. (7) One should not offer incense without offering some flower. (8) Useless flowers without any fragrance should not be offered. (9) One should not fail to wash his teeth very carefully every day. (10) One should not enter the temple directly after sexual intercourse. (11) One should not touch a woman during her menstrual period. (12) One should not enter the temple after touching a dead body. (13) One should not enter the temple wearing garments of red or blue color or garments which are unwashed. (14) One should not enter the temple after seeing a dead body. (15) One should not pass air within the temple. (16) One should not be angry within the temple. (17) One should not enter the temple after visiting a crematorium. (18) One should not belch before the Deity. So, until one has fully digested his food, he should not enter the temple. (19) One should not smoke marijuana, or ganja. (20) One should not take opium or similar intoxicants. (21) One should not enter the Deity room or touch the body of the Deity after having smeared oil over his body. (22) One should not show disrespect to a scripture teaching about the supremacy of the Lord. (23) One should not introduce any opposing scripture. (24) One should not chew betel before the Deity. (25) One should not offer a flower which was kept in an unclean pot. (26) One should not worship the Lord while sitting on the bare floor; one must have a sitting place or carpet. (27) One should not touch the Deity before one has completed taking bath. (28) One should not decorate his forehead with the three-lined tilaka. (29) One should not enter the temple without washing his hands and feet.
Other rules are that one should not offer foodstuff which is cooked by a non-Vaisnava, one should not worship the Deity before a nondevotee, and one should not engage himself in the worship of the Lord while seeing a nondevotee. One should begin the worship of the demigod Ganapati, who drives away all impediments in the execution of devotional service. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated that Ganapati worships the lotus feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva and in that way has become auspicious for the devotees in clearing out all impediments. Therefore, all devotees should worship Ganapati. The Deities should not be bathed in water which has been touched by the nails or fingers. When a devotee is perspiring, he should not engage himself in worshiping the Deity. Similarly, there are many other prohibitions. For example, one should not cross or step over the flowers offered to the Deities, nor should one take a vow in the name of God. These are all different kinds of offenses in the matter of executing devotional service, and one should be careful to avoid them.
In the Padma Purana it is stated that even a person whose life is completely sinful will be completely protected by the Lord if he simply surrenders unto Him. So it is accepted that one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes free from all sinful reactions. And even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the holy names of the Lord: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Krsna is beneficial for eradicating all sins, but if one becomes an offender to the holy names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered.
The offenses 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 Siva or Lord Brahma to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Visnu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. 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 Krsna, that is the greatest offense.) (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 Krsna 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 Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Krsna to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) (8) To consider the chanting of Hare Krsna one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kanda). (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.
Every devotee who claims to be a Vaisnava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success.
Chapter Nine
Further Considerations of Devotional Principles
Blasphemy
One should not tolerate blasphemy of the Lord or His devotees. In this connection, in the Tenth Canto, Seventy-fourth Chapter, verse 40, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Gosvami tells Pariksit Maharaja, "My dear King, if a person, after hearing blasphemous propaganda against the Lord and His devotees, does not go away from that place, he becomes bereft of the effect of all pious activities."
In one of Lord Caitanya's Siksastaka verses it is stated, "The devotee should be more tolerant than the tree and more submissive than the grass. He should offer all honor to others, but may not accept any honor for himself." In spite of Lord Caitanya's being so humble and meek as a devotee, when He was informed about injuries inflicted on the body of Sri Nityananda, He immediately ran to the spot and wanted to kill the offenders, Jagai and Madhai. This behavior of Lord Caitanya's is very significant. It shows that a Vaisnava may be very tolerant and meek, foregoing everything for his personal honor, but when it is a question of the honor of Krsna or His devotee, he will not tolerate any insult.
There are three ways of dealing with such insults. If someone is heard blaspheming by words, one should be so expert that he can defeat the opposing party by argument. If he is unable to defeat the opposing party, then the next step is that he should not just stand there meekly, but should give up his life. The third process is followed if he is unable to execute the above-mentioned two processes, and this is that one must leave the place and go away. If a devotee does not follow any of the above-mentioned three processes, he falls down from his position of devotion.
Tilaka and Tulasi Beads
In the Padma Purana there is a statement describing how a Vaisnava should decorate his body with tilaka and beads: "Persons who put tulasi beads on the neck, who mark twelve places of their bodies as Visnu temples with Visnu's symbolic representations [the four items held in the four hands of Lord Visnu--conch, mace, disc and lotus], and who have visnu-tilaka on their foreheads, are to be understood as the devotees of Lord Visnu in this world. Their presence makes the world purified, and anywhere they remain, they make that place as good as Vaikuntha."
A similar statement is in the Skanda Purana, which says, "Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi-candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller's earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrndavana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi beads, are never approached by the Yamadutas." The Yamadutas are the constables of King Yama (the lord of death), who punishes all sinful men. Vaisnavas are never called for by such constables of Yamaraja. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the narration of Ajamila's deliverance, it is said that Yamaraja gave clear instructions to his assistants not to approach the Vaisnavas. Vaisnavas are beyond the jurisdiction of Yamaraja's activities.
The Padma Purana also mentions, "A person whose body is decorated with the pulp of sandalwood, with paintings of the holy name of the Lord, is delivered from all sinful reactions, and after his death he goes directly to Krsnaloka to live in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Accepting Flower Garlands
The next instruction is that one should put on flower garlands which are offered to the Deity. In this connection, in the Eleventh Canto, Sixth Chapter, verse 46, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Uddhava says to Krsna, "My dear Krsna, I have taken things which You have used and enjoyed, such as garlands of flowers, saintly articles, garments and ornaments, and I eat only the remnants of Your foodstuff, because I am Your menial servant. So, therefore, I am sure that I shall not be attacked by the spell of material energy." The purport of this verse is that for any person who simply follows these rules and regulations of decorating the body with the marks of tilaka of gopi-candana or sandalwood pulp, and who puts on the garlands which were offered to Krsna, there is no question of being conquered by the spell of material energy. At the time of death, there is no question of such a person's being called by the constables of Yamaraja. Even if one does not accept all the Vaisnava principles, but still takes the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna, or krsna-prasada, he will gradually become qualified to rise to the platform of a Vaisnava.
Similarly, in the Skanda Purana Lord Brahma tells Narada, "My dear Narada, anyone who puts on his neck the flower garland which was formerly used by Krsna becomes relieved from all disease and reactions to sinful activities, and gradually he is liberated from the contamination of matter."
Dancing Before the Deity
In the Dvaraka-mahatmya the importance of dancing before the Deity is stated by Lord Krsna as follows: "A person who is in a jubilant spirit, who feels profound devotional ecstasy while dancing before Me, and who manifests different features of bodily expression can burn away all the accumulated sinful reactions he has stocked up for many, many thousands of years." In the same book there is a statement by Narada wherein he asserts, "From the body of any person who claps and dances before the Deity, showing manifestations of ecstasy, all the birds of sinful activities fly away upward." Just as by clapping the hands one can cause many birds to fly away, similarly the birds of all sinful activities which are sitting on the body can be made to fly away simply by dancing and clapping before the Deity of Krsna.
Bowing Down in Honor of the Deity
In the Naradiya Purana there is a statement about bowing down and offering respect to the Deity. It is said there, "A person who has performed a great ritualistic sacrifice and a person who has simply offered his respectful obeisances by bowing down before the Lord cannot be held as equals." The person who has executed many great sacrifices will attain the result of his pious activities, but when such results are finished, he has to take birth again on the earthly planet; however, the person who has once offered respects, bowing down before the Deity, will not come back to this world, because he will go directly to the abode of Krsna.
Standing Up to Receive the Lord
In the Brahmanda Purana it is said, "A person who sees the Lord's Ratha-yatra car festival and then stands up to receive the Lord can purge all kinds of sinful results from his body."
Following the Deity
A similar statement is there in the Bhavisya Purana, in which it is said, "Even if born of a lowly family, a person who follows the Ratha-yatra car when the Deities pass in front or from behind will surely be elevated to the position of achieving equal opulence with Visnu."
Going to the Temple of Visnu or to Places of Pilgrimage
It is stated in the Puranas, "Persons who attempt to visit the holy places of pilgrimage, like Vrndavana, Mathura or Dvaraka, are actually glorified. By such traveling activities, they can pass over the desert of material existence."
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a statement about the benefit of visiting the temples of Lord Krsna. As we have explained previously, in Vrndavana, Mathura and Dvaraka the system is that all the devotees take advantage of visiting various temples situated in those holy places. It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, "Persons who are impelled by pure devotional service in Krsna consciousness and who therefore go to see the Deities of Visnu in the temple will surely get relief from entering again into the prison house of a mother's womb." The conditioned soul forgets the trouble of living within the mother's womb during birth, but it is a very painful and terrible experience. In order to make an escape from this material condition, one is advised to visit a temple of Visnu with devotional consciousness. Then one can very easily get out of the miserable condition of material birth.
Circumambulating the Temple of Visnu
It is said in the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, "A person who is circumambulating the Deity of Visnu can counteract the circumambulation of repeated birth and death in this material world." The conditioned soul is circumambulating through repeated births and deaths on account of his material existence, and this can be counteracted simply by circumambulating the Deity in the temple.
The Caturmasya ceremony is observed during the four months of the rainy season in India (approximately July, August, September and October), beginning from Sravana. During these four months, saintly persons who are accustomed to travel from one place to another to propagate Krsna consciousness remain at one place, usually a holy place of pilgrimage. During these times, there are certain special rules and regulations which are strictly followed. It is stated in the Skanda Purana that during this period, if someone circumambulates the temple of Visnu at least four times, it is understood that he has traveled all over the universe. By such circumambulation, one is understood to have seen all the holy places where the Ganges water is flowing, and by following the regulative principles of Caturmasya one can very quickly be raised to the platform of devotional service.
Arcana
Arcana means worship of the Deity in the temple. By executing this process one confirms himself to be not the body but spirit soul. In the Tenth Canto, Eighty-first Chapter, verse 19, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is told how Sudama, an intimate friend of Krsna's, while going to the house of a brahmana, murmured to himself, "Simply by worshiping Krsna one can easily achieve all the results of heavenly opulence, liberation, supremacy over the planetary systems of the universe, all the opulences of this material world, and the mystic power of performing the yoga system.
The events leading to Sudama's murmuring this statement are as follows. Sri Krsna had ordered His friend Sudama to go to a brahmana's house and ask for some food. The brahmanas were performing a great sacrifice, and Sri Krsna told Sudama to plead with them that He and Balarama were feeling hungry and needed some food. When Sudama went there, the brahmanas refused to offer anything, but the wives of the brahmanas, upon hearing that Sri Krsna wanted some foodstuff, immediately took many palatable dishes and went to offer them to Sri Krsna. In the Visnu-rahasya, also, it is stated, "Any person within this world who is engaged in the worship of Visnu can very easily achieve the ever-blissful kingdom of God, known as Vaikunthaloka."
Rendering Service to the Lord
It is stated in the Visnu-rahasya, "Any person who can arrange for service to the Lord in the same way that a king is given service by his attendants is surely elevated to the abode of Krsna after death." Actually, in India the temples are just like royal palaces. They are not ordinary buildings, because the worship of Krsna should be performed in just the way that a king is worshiped in his palace. So in Vrndavana there are many hundreds of temples wherein the Deity is worshiped exactly like a king. In the Naradiya Purana it is stated, "H a person stays in the Lord's temple even for a few moments, he can surely achieve the transcendental kingdom of God."
The conclusion is that those who are rich men in society should construct beautiful temples and arrange for the worship of Visnu, so that people may be attracted to visit such temples and thereby be offered the opportunity of dancing before the Lord or chanting the holy name of the Lord, or else of hearing the holy name of the Lord. In this way, everyone will be given the chance to elevate himself to the kingdom of God. In other words, even a common man, simply by visiting such a temple, will be able to attain the highest benedictions, not to mention the devotees who are constantly engaged in the service of the Lord in full Krsna consciousness.
In this connection, there is a statement in the Fourth Canto, Twenty-first Chapter, verse 31, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein King Prthu says to his subjects, "My dear citizens, please note that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is actually the deliverer of all fallen, conditioned souls. No demigod can perform this act of delivering the conditioned souls, because the demigods themselves are conditioned. A conditioned soul cannot deliver another conditioned soul. Only Krsna or His bona fide representative can deliver him. The Ganges water which is flowing down from the toe of Lord Visnu falls upon the earthly planet and other planets and thereby delivers all the conditioned sinful living entities. So what need is there to speak of the deliverance of persons who are always engaged in the service of the Lord? There is no doubt about their liberation, even if they have stocks of sinful activities from many, many births." In other words, a person who is engaged in the worship of the Deities can minimize his stock of sinful reactions coming from many, many previous births. This process of worshiping the Deity has already been described, and one should try to follow these rules and regulations seriously.
Singing
In the Linga Purana there is a statement about glorifying and singing about the Lord. It is said there, "A brahmana who is constantly engaged in singing the glories of the Lord is surely elevated to the same planet as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Krsna appreciates this singing even more than the prayers offered by Lord Siva."
Sankirtana
When a person loudly chants the glories of the Lord's activities, qualities, form, etc., his chanting is called sankirtana. Sankirtana also refers to the congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
In the Visnu-dharma there is a statement glorifying this process of congregational chanting: "My dear King, this word Krsna is so auspicious that anyone who chants this holy name immediately gets rid of the resultant actions of sinful activities from many, many births." That is a fact. There is the following statement in Caitanya-caritamrta: "A person who chants the holy name of Krsna once can counteract the resultant actions of more sinful activities than he is able to perform." A sinful man can perform many, many sinful activities, but he is unable to perform so many that they cannot be wiped out by one single uttering of Krsna.
In the Seventh Canto, Ninth Chapter, verse 18, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Maharaja Prahlada offers the following prayers to the Lord: "My dear Lord Nrsimha, if I can be elevated to the position of Your servant, then it will be possible for me to hear about Your activities. You are the supreme friend, the supreme worshipable Deity. Your pastimes are transcendental, and simply by hearing of them one can counteract all his sinful activities. Therefore, I shall not care for all those sinful activities, because simply by hearing about Your pastimes I shall get out of all the contamination of material attachment."
There are many songs about the Lord's activities. For example, there is the Brahma-samhita, sung by Lord Brahma; Narada-pancaratra, sung by Narada Muni; and Srimad-Bhagavatam, sung by Sukadeva Gosvami. If these songs are heard by any person, he can easily get out of the clutches of material contamination. There should be no difficulty in hearing these songs of God. They are coming down from many, many millions of years ago, and people are still taking advantage of them. So why, at this time, should one not take full advantage and thus become liberated?
In the First Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 22, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Narada Muni tells his disciple Vyasadeva, "My dear Vyasa, you should know that persons who are engaged in executing austerities and penances, studying the Vedas, performing big sacrifices, chanting the hymns of the Vedas, speculating on transcendental knowledge and performing charitable functions have for all their auspicious activities simply to gain a place in the association of devotees and chant the glories of the Lord." It is indicated here that chanting about and glorifying the Lord is the ultimate activity of the living entity.
Japa
Chanting a mantra or hymn softly and slowly is called japa, and chanting the same mantra loudly is called kirtana. For example, uttering the maha-mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) very softly, only for one's own hearing, is called japa. Chanting the same mantra loudly for being heard by all others is called kirtana. The maha-mantra can be used for japa and kirtana also. When japa is practiced it is for the personal benefit of the chanter, but when kirtana is performed it is for the benefit of all others who may hear.
In the Padma Purana there is a statement: "For any person who is chanting the holy name either softly or loudly, the paths to liberation and even heavenly happiness are at once open."
Submission
In the Skanda Purana there is a statement about submission unto the lotus feet of the Lord. It is said there that those who are sober devotees can offer their submission to Krsna in the following three ways: (1) samprarthanatmika, very feelingly offering prayers; (2) dainyavodhika, humbly submitting oneself; (3) lalasamayi, desiring some perfectional stage. This desiring some perfectional stage in spiritual life is not sense gratification. When one realizes something of his constitutional relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he understands his original position and wants to be reinstated in this position, either as friend, servant, parent or conjugal lover of Krsna. That is called lalasamayi, or very eagerly desiring to go to one's natural position. This lalasamayi stage of submission comes in the stage of perfect liberation, which is technically called svarupa-siddhi, when the living entity understands, by perfect spiritual advancement and revelation, his original relationship with the Lord.
In the Padma Purana there is a statement of submission in feeling by devotees praying to the Lord: "My Lord, I know that young girls have natural affection for young boys, and that young boys have natural affection for young girls. I am praying at Your lotus feet that my mind may become attracted unto You in the same spontaneous way." The example is very appropriate. When a young boy or girl sees a member of the opposite sex there is a natural attraction, without the need for any introduction. Without any training there is a natural attraction due to the sex impulse. This is a material example, but the devotee is praying that he may develop a similar spontaneous attachment for the Supreme Lord, free from any desire for profit and without any other cause. This natural attraction for the Lord is the perfectional stage of self-realization.
In the same Padma Purana there is a statement about submission in humbleness. It is stated there, "My dear Lord, there is no sinful living entity who is more of a sinner than myself. Nor is there a greater offender than myself. I am so greatly sinful and offensive that when I come to confess my sinful activities before You, I am ashamed." This is a natural position for a devotee. As far as the conditioned soul is concerned, there is no wonder that he has some sinful activities in his past life, and this should be admitted and confessed before the Lord. As soon as this is done, the Lord excuses the sincere devotee. But that does not mean that one should take advantage of the Lord's causeless mercy and expect to be excused over and over again, while he commits the same sinful activities. Such a mentality is only for shameless persons. Here it is clearly said, "When I come to confess my sinful activities I become ashamed." So if a person is not ashamed of his sinful activities and continues to commit the same sinful activities with the knowledge that the Lord will excuse him, that is a most nonsensical proposition. Such an idea is not accepted in any part of the Vedic literature. It is a fact that by chanting the holy name of the Lord one becomes washed clean of all sinful activities from his past life. But that does not mean that after being washed off, one should again begin sinful activities and expect to be washed again. These are nonsensical propositions and are not admitted in devotional service. Someone may think, "For a whole week I may commit sinful activities, and for one day I will go to the temple or church and admit my sinful activities so that I can become washed off and again begin my sinning." This is most nonsensical and offensive and is not acceptable to the author of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.
In the Narada-pancaratra there is a statement of submission accompanied by the desire for perfection. The devotee says, "My dear Lord, when shall that day come when You will ask me to fan Your body, and according to Your pleasure, You will say, 'You just fan Me in this way'?" The idea in this verse is that the devotee is desiring to personally fan the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That means that he is desiring to become the personal associate of the Supreme Lord. Of course, any devotee in any capacity, either as servant, friend or conjugal lover, always has direct association with the Lord. But according to his different individual taste, a person desires for just one of these relationships. Here the devotee is desiring to become a servant of the Lord and desires to fan the Lord, as does His internal energy, Laksmi, the goddess of fortune. He also wishes that the Personality of Godhead will be pleased to give him directions as to how to fan. This submission with transcendental desire, or lalasamayi vijnapti, is the highest perfectional stage of spiritual realization.
In the same Narada-pancaratra, there is another expression of submission, wherein the devotee says, "My dear Lord, O lotus-eyed one, when will that day come when on the bank of the Yamuna I shall become just like a madman and continue to chant Your holy name while incessant tears flow from my eyes?" This is another perfectional stage. Lord Caitanya also desired that "a moment will appear unto me as twelve years of time, and the whole world will appear to me as vacant on account of not seeing You, my dear Lord." One should feelingly pray and become eager to render his particular type of service to the Lord. This is the teaching of all great devotees, especially Lord Caitanya.
In other words, one should learn how to cry for the Lord. One should learn this small technique, and he should be very eager and actually cry to become engaged in some particular type of service. This is called laulyam, and such tears are the price for the highest perfection. If one develops this laulyam, or excessive eagerness for meeting and serving the Lord in a particular way, that is the price to enter into the kingdom of God. Otherwise, there is no material calculation for the value of the ticket by which one can enter the kingdom of God. The only price for such entrance is this laulyam lalasamayi, or desire and great eagerness.
Reciting Notable Prayers
According to great learned scholars, the whole Bhagavad-gita contains many authorized prayers, especially in the Eleventh Chapter, where Arjuna prays to the universal form of the Lord. Similarly, in the Gautamiya-tantra all the verses are called prayers. Again, in Srimad-Bhagavatam there are hundreds of prayers to the Lord. So a devotee should select some of these prayers for his recitation. In Skanda Purana the glories of these prayers are stated as follows: "Devotees whose tongues are decorated always with prayers to Lord Krsna are always given respect even by the great saintly persons and sages, and such devotees are actually worshipable by the demigods."
Those who are less intelligent want to worship different demigods for some material gain rather than worship Krsna. But here it is stated that a devotee who is always engaged in offering prayers to the Lord is worshipable even by the demigods themselves. The pure devotees have nothing to ask from any demigod; rather, the demigods are anxious to offer prayers to the pure devotees.
In the Nrsimha Purana it is stated, "Any person who comes before the Deity of Lord Krsna and begins to chant different prayers is immediately relieved from all the reactions of sinful activities and becomes eligible, without any doubt, to enter into the Vaikunthaloka."
Partaking of Prasada
There is this specific statement in the Padma Purana: "A person who honors the prasada and regularly eats it, not exactly in front of the Deity, along with caranamrta [the water offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, which is mixed with seeds of the tulasi tree], immediately can achieve the results of pious activities which are obtained through ten thousand performances of sacrificial rites."
Drinking Caranamrta
Caranamrta is obtained in the morning while the Lord is being washed before dressing. Scented with perfumes and flowers, the water comes gliding down through His lotus feet and is collected and mixed with yogurt. In this way this caranamrta not only becomes very tastefully flavored, but also has tremendous spiritual value. As described in the Padma Purana, even a person who has never been able to give in charity, who has never been able to perform a great sacrifice, who has never been able to study the Vedas, who has never been able to worship the Lord--or, in other words, even one who has never done any pious activities--will become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God if he simply drinks the caranamrta which is kept in the temple. In the temple it is the custom that the caranamrta be kept in a big pot. The devotees who come to visit and offer respects to the Deity take three drops of caranamrta very submissively and feel themselves happy in transcendental bliss.
Smelling the Incense and Flowers Offered to the Deity
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a statement about the incense which is offered in the temple: "When the devotees smell the good flavor of the incense which is offered to the Deity, they thus become cured of the poisonous effects of material contamination, as much as one becomes cured of a snakebite by smelling the prescribed medicinal herbs." The explanation of this verse is that there is an herb found in the jungles which expert persons know how to use to revive the consciousness of one who is bitten by a snake. Simply by smelling that herb one becomes immediately relieved of the poisonous effects of the snakebite. The same example is applicable: when a person comes to visit the temple and smells the incense offered to the Deity, he is cured at that time from all his material contamination.
Any devotee coming into the temple should always offer something to the Deity--fruit, flowers, incense, etc. If one cannot offer anything in cash, something else must be offered. In India the system is that all the ladies and gentlemen who come in the morning to visit the temple bring so many things. Even one morsel of rice or one morsel of flour can be offered. It is a regulative principle that one should not go to see a saintly person or the Deity in the temple without any offering. The offering may be very humble, or it may be priceless. Even a flower, a little fruit, a little water--whatever is possible--must be offered. So when a devotee comes to offer something to the Deity in the morning, he is sure to smell the good flavor of the incense, and then at once he will become cleansed of the poisonous effect of material existence.
It is stated in the Tantra-sastra, "If the smell of the garland which was offered to the Deity in the temple enters into a person's nostrils, immediately his bondage to sinful activities becomes cleared. And even if one has no sinful activities, still, by smelling such remnants of flowers, one can advance from Mayavadi [impersonalist] to devotee." There are several instances of this, a prime one being the advancement of the four Kumaras. They were impersonalist Mayavadis, but after smelling the remnants of flowers and incense in the temple, they turned to become devotees. From the above verse it appears that the Mayavadis, or impersonalists, are more or less contaminated. They are not pure.
It is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, "One who has not washed off all reactions of sinful activities cannot be a pure devotee. A pure devotee has no more doubts about the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead, and thus he engages himself in Krsna consciousness and devotional service." A similar statement is in the Agastya-samhita: just to purify the impurities of our nostrils, we should try to smell the remnants of flowers offered to Krsna in the temple.
Touching the Deity
In the Visnu-dharmottara there is a statement about touching the lotus feet of the Lord. It is said, "Only a person who is initiated as a Vaisnava and is executing devotional service in Krsna consciousness has the right to touch the body of the Deity." In India there was agitation during Gandhi's political movement because the lowborn classes of men like street-sweepers and candalas are prohibited, according to the Vedic system, from entering the temple. Due to their unclean habits they are prohibited, but at the same time they are given other facilities so they may be elevated to the highest grade of devotional service by association with pure devotees. A man born in any family is not barred, but he must be cleansed. That cleansing process must be adopted. Gandhi wanted to make them clean simply by stamping them with a fictitious name, harijana ("children of God"), and so there was a great tug-of-war between the temple owners and Gandhi's followers.
But anyway, the present law is the law of all scripture--that if anyone is purified he can enter into the temple. Actually, that is the position. Only one who is properly initiated, who is properly following the rules and regulations, can enter, and touch the Deity--not all. And one who touches the body of the Deity, following such regulative principles, is immediately delivered from the contamination of material sins, and all of his desires become fulfilled without delay.
Seeing the Deity
In the Varaha Purana there is a statement praising the seeing of the Deity of Sri Krsna in the temple. A devotee says there, "My dear Vasundhara, any person who goes to Vrndavana and sees the Deity of Govindadeva is free from the courthouse of Yamaraja and is allowed to enter into the highest planetary system, in which reside the demigods." This means that even an ordinary person who goes to Vrndavana out of inquisitiveness and by chance sees the temple, especially that of Govindadeva, even if he is not elevated to the spiritual kingdom, is still assured promotion to the higher planetary systems. This means that simply by visiting the Deity of Govinda in Vrndavana one becomes highly elevated in pious life.
Observing Arati and Celebrations of the Lord
In the Skanda Purana there is the following description of the result of seeing arati (worship) of the Deity: "If someone sees the face of the Lord while arati is going on, he can be relieved of all sinful reactions coming from many, many thousands and millions of years past. He is even excused from the killing of a brahmana or similar prohibited activities.
As we have already explained, there are different ceremonies to be observed, such as the birthday of Krsna, the birthday of Lord Ramacandra, the birthday of some prominent Vaisnavas, the ceremony of Jhulana-yatra with the Lord sitting on a swing, and Dola-yatra (the Lord's activities in the month of March). In all festivals the Lord is seated on a car, and the car moves through different streets of the city so that people may take advantage of visiting the Lord. In the Bhavisya Purana it is said, "In such a ceremony, if even a candala [dog-eater], simply out of curiosity, sees the Lord on the cart, he becomes counted as one of the associates of Visnu."
In the Agni Purana it is stated, "Any person who in gladness sees the worship of the Deity in the temple will obtain the results of kriya-yoga which are described in the Pancaratra scripture." Kriya-yoga is a system of practice much like practical devotional service, but it is especially meant for the mystic yogis. In other words, by this gradual process the mystic yogis are eventually elevated to the devotional service of the Lord.
Chapter Ten
Techniques of Hearing and Remembering
The beginning of Krsna consciousness and devotional service is hearing, in Sanskrit called sravanam. All people should be given the chance to come and join devotional parties so that they may hear. This hearing is very important for progressing in Krsna consciousness. When one links his ears to give aural reception to the transcendental vibrations, he can quickly become purified and cleansed in the heart. Lord Caitanya has affirmed that this hearing is very important. It cleanses the heart of the contaminated soul so that he becomes quickly qualified to enter into devotional service and understand Krsna consciousness.
In the Garuda Purana the stress on hearing is expressed very nicely. It is said there, "The state of conditioned life in the material world is just like that of a man lying unconscious, having been bitten by a snake. This is because both such unconscious states can be ended by the sound of a mantra." When a man is snake-bitten he does not die immediately, but first becomes unconscious and remains in a comatose condition. Anyone who is in the material world is also sleeping, as he is ignorant of his actual self or his actual duty and his relationship with God. So materialistic life means that one is bitten by the snake of maya, illusion, and thus, without any Krsna consciousness, is almost dead. Now, the so-called dead man bitten by a snake can be brought back to life by the chanting of some mantra. There are expert chanters of these mantras who can perform this feat. Similarly, one can be brought back into Krsna consciousness from the deadly unconscious state of material life by hearing of the maha-mantra: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
In the Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verse 40, the importance of hearing of the pastimes of the Lord is stated by Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit: "My dear King, one should stay at a place where the great acaryas [holy teachers] speak about the transcendental activities of the Lord, and one should give aural reception to the nectarean river flowing from the moonlike faces of such great personalities. If someone eagerly continues to hear such transcendental sounds, then certainly he will become freed from all material hunger, thirst, fear and lamentation, as well as all illusions of material existence."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process of hearing as a means of self-realization in the present age of Kali. In this age it is very difficult to follow thoroughly the regulative principles and studies of the Vedas which were formerly recommended. However, if one gives aural reception to the sound vibrated by great devotees and acaryas, that alone will give him relief from all material contamination. Therefore it is the recommendation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that one should simply hear from authorities who are actually devotees of the Lord. Hearing from professional men will not help. If we hear from those who are actually self-realized, then the nectarean rivers, like those which are flowing on the moon planet, will flow into our ears. This is the metaphor used in the above verse.
As stated in Bhagavad-gita, "A materialistic person can give up his material hankerings only by becoming situated in Krsna consciousness." Unless one finds a superior engagement, he will not be able to give up his inferior engagement. In the material world everyone is engaged in the illusory activities of the inferior energy, but when one is given the opportunity to relish the activities of the superior energy performed by Krsna, then he forgets all his lesser pleasures. When Krsna speaks on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, to the materialistic person it appears that this is simply talk between two friends, but actually it is a river of nectar flowing down from the mouth of Sri Krsna. Arjuna gave aural reception to such vibrations, and thus he became freed from all the illusions of material problems.
In the Twelfth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Chapter, verse 15, it is stated, "A person who desires unalloyed devotional service to Lord Krsna, who is praised by transcendental sound vibrations, should always hear about His glorification and transcendental qualities. This will surely kill all kinds of inauspiciousness in the heart."
Expecting the Lord's Mercy
In the Tenth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 8, it is said, "My dear Lord, any person who is constantly awaiting Your causeless mercy to be bestowed upon him, and who goes on suffering the resultant actions of his past misdeeds, offering You respectful obeisances from the core of his heart, is surely eligible to become liberated, for it has become his rightful claim."
This statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam should be the guide of all devotees. A devotee should not expect immediate relief from the reactions of his past misdeeds. No conditioned soul is free from such reactionary experiences, because material existence means continued suffering or enjoying of past activities. If one has finished his material activities then there is no more birth. This is possible only when one begins Krsna conscious activities, because such activities do not produce reaction. Therefore, as soon as one becomes perfect in Krsna conscious activities, he is not going to take birth again in this material world. A devotee who is not perfectly freed from the resultant actions should therefore continue to act in Krsna consciousness seriously, even though there may be so many impediments. When such impediments arise he should simply think of Krsna and expect His mercy. That is the only solace. If the devotee passes his days in that spirit, it is certain that he is going to be promoted to the abode of the Lord. By such activities, he earns his claim to enter into the kingdom of God. The exact word used in this verse is daya-bhak. Daya-bhak refers to a son's becoming the lawful inheritor of the property of the father. In a similar way, a pure devotee who is prepared to undergo all kinds of tribulations in executing Krsna conscious duties becomes lawfully qualified to enter into the transcendental abode.
Remembrance
Some way or other, if someone establishes in his mind his continuous relationship with Krsna, this relationship is called remembrance. About this remembrance there is a nice statement in the Visnu Purana, where it is said, "Simply by remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead all living entities become eligible for all kinds of auspiciousness. Therefore let me always remember the Lord, who is unborn and eternal." In the Padma Purana the same remembrance is explained as follows: "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Krsna, because if someone remembers Him, either at the time of death or during his span of life, he becomes freed from all sinful reactions."
Meditation
To meditate means to engage the mind in thinking of the form of the Lord, the qualities of the Lord, the activities of the Lord and the service of the Lord. Meditation does not mean anything impersonal or void. According to Vedic literature, meditation is always on the form of Visnu.
In the Nrsimha Purana there is a statement about meditation on the form of the Lord. It is said there, "Meditation focusing on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been accepted as transcendental and beyond the experience of material pain and pleasure. By such meditation, even one who is grossly miscreant can be delivered from the sinful reactions of his life."
In the Visnu-dharma there is a statement about meditation on the transcendental qualities of the Lord. It is said, "Persons who are constantly engaged in Krsna consciousness, and who remember the transcendental qualities of the Lord, become free from all reactions to sinful activities, and after being so cleansed they become fit to enter into the kingdom of God." In other words, no one can enter into the kingdom of God without being freed from all sinful reactions. One can avoid sinful reactions simply by remembering the Lord's form, qualities, pastimes, etc.
In the Padma Purana there is a statement about remembering the activities of the Lord: "A person who is always engaged in meditation on the sweet pastimes and wonderful activities of the Lord surely becomes freed from all material contamination."
In some of the Puranas the evidence is given that if someone is simply meditating on devotional activities, he has achieved the desired result and has seen face to face the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this connection, there is a story in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana that in the city of Pratisthanapura in South India there was once a brahmana who was not very well-to-do, but who was nevertheless satisfied in himself, thinking that it was because of his past misdeeds and by the desire of Krsna that he did not get sufficient money and opulence. So he was not at all sorry for his poor material position, and he used to live very peacefully. He was very openhearted, and sometimes he went to hear some lectures delivered by great realized souls. At one such meeting, while he was very faithfully hearing about Vaisnava activities, he was informed that these activities can be performed even by meditation. In other words, if a person is unable to actually perform Vaisnava activities physically, he can meditate upon the Vaisnava activities and thereby acquire all of the same results. Because the brahmana was not very well-to-do financially, he decided that he would simply meditate on grand, royal devotional activities, and he began this business thus:
Sometimes he would take his bath in the River Godavari. After taking his bath he would sit in a secluded place on the bank of the river, and by practicing the yoga exercises of pranayama, the usual breathing exercises, he would concentrate his mind. These breathing exercises are meant to mechanically fix the mind upon a particular subject. That is the result of the breathing exercises and also of the different sitting postures of yoga. Formerly, even quite ordinary persons used to know how to fix the mind upon the remembrance of the Lord, and so the brahmana was doing this. When he had fixed the form of the Lord in his mind, he began to imagine in his meditations that he was dressing the Lord very nicely in costly clothing, with ornaments, helmets and other paraphernalia. Then he offered his respectful obeisances by bowing down before the Lord. After finishing the dressing, he began to imagine that he was cleaning the temple very nicely. After cleansing the temple, he imagined that he had many water jugs made of gold and silver, and he took all those jugs to the river and filled them with the holy water. Not only did he collect water from the Godavari, but he collected from the Ganges, Yamuna, Narmada and Kaveri. Generally a Vaisnava, while worshiping the Lord, collects water from all these rivers by mantra chanting. This brahmana, instead of chanting some mantra, imagined that he was physically securing water from all these rivers in golden and silver waterpots. Then he collected all kinds of paraphernalia for worship--flowers, fruits, incense and sandalwood pulp. He collected everything to place before the Deity. All these waters, flowers and scented articles were then very nicely offered to the Deities to Their satisfaction. Then he offered arati, and with the regulative principles he finished all these activities in the correct worshiping method.
He would daily execute similar performances as his routine work, and he continued to do so for many, many years. Then one day the brahmana imagined in his meditations that he had prepared some sweet rice with milk and sugar and offered the preparation to the Deity. However, he was not very satisfied with the offering because the sweet rice had been prepared recently and it was still very hot. (This preparation, sweet rice, should not be taken hot. The cooler the sweet rice, the better its taste.) So because the sweet rice had been prepared by the brahmana very recently, he wanted to touch it so that he could know whether it was fit for eating by the Lord. As soon as he touched the sweet rice pot with his finger, he immediately was burnt by the heat of the pot. In this way, his meditation broke. Now, when he looked at his finger, he saw that it was burnt, and he was wondering in astonishment how this could have happened. Because he was simply meditating on touching the hot sweet rice, he never thought that his finger would actually become burnt.
While he was thinking like this, in Vaikuntha Lord Narayana, seated with the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, began to smile humorously. On seeing this smiling of the Lord, all the goddesses of fortune attending the Lord became very curious and asked Lord Narayana why He was smiling. The Lord, however, did not reply to their inquisitiveness, but instead immediately sent for the brahmana. An airplane sent from Vaikuntha immediately brought the brahmana into Lord Narayana's presence. When the brahmana was thus present before the Lord and the goddesses of fortune, the Lord explained the whole story. The brahmana was then fortunate enough to get an eternal place in Vaikuntha in the association of the Lord and His Laksmis. This shows how the Lord is all-pervading, in spite of His being locally situated in His abode. Although the Lord was present in Vaikuntha, He was present also in the heart of the brahmana when he was meditating on the worshiping process. Thus, we can understand that things offered by the devotees even in meditation are accepted by the Lord, and they help one achieve the desired result.
Chapter Eleven
Aspects of Transcendental Service
Servitorship
In the opinion of the karmis (fruitive workers), offering the results of karma is called servitorship. But according to Vaisnava acaryas like Rupa Gosvami, servitorship means constant engagement in some kind of service to the Lord.
In the Skanda Purana it is said that those who are attached to ritualistic activities, the four orders of social life and the four orders of spiritual life, are considered devotees. But when devotees are actually engaged in offering service to the Lord directly, these must be bhagavatas, or pure devotees. Those who are engaged in fruitive activities, or prescribed duties according to the four orders of social and spiritual life, are not actually pure devotees. But still, because they are offering the result to the Lord, they are accepted as devotees. When one has no such desire, but acts spontaneously out of love of God, such a person must be accepted as a pure devotee. The conditioned souls who have come into contact with the material world are all more or less desirous of lording it over material nature. The system of varnasrama and the prescribed duties under this system are so designed that the conditioned soul may enjoy in the material world according to his desire for sense gratification and at the same time gradually become elevated to spiritual understanding. Under these prescribed duties of varna and asrama there are many activities which belong to devotional service in Krsna consciousness. Those devotees who are householders accept Vedic ritualistic performances as well as the prescribed duties of devotional service, because both are meant for satisfying Krsna. When householder devotees perform some Vedic ritualistic duties, they do so to satisfy Krsna. As we have previously discussed, any activity aiming at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead is considered devotional service.
Srila Rupa Gosvami describes one who is fit for becoming engaged in devotional service. He says that persons who are neophytes and who have developed a little love of Godhead are not interested in the activities of sense gratification, in proportion to their devotion. But if there is still some attraction for sense gratifying activities, then the result of such activities should be offered to Krsna. This is also called engagement in the service of the Lord, with the Lord as the master and the worker as the servant.
In the Naradiya Purana there is a statement of how this servitorship is transcendental. It is said there that a person who is constantly engaged in devotional service by his body, mind and words, or even a person who is not practically engaged but is simply desiring to be so, is considered to be liberated.
Devotional Service in Friendship
Devotional service in friendship can be divided into two categories: the first is to act as the confidential servant of the Lord, and the other is to act as the well-wisher of the Lord. The devotee who has confidence in devotional service to the Lord systematically follows the rules and regulations, with the faith that lie will achieve the platform of transcendental life. The second type of devotional friendship is to become a well-wisher of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Lord accepts a preacher as the most dear servant. Anyone who is preaching the confidential message of the Gita to the people in general is so dear to Krsna that no one can be equal to him in human society.
In the Mahabharata, Draupadi says, "My dear Govinda, Your promise is that Your devotee can never be vanquished. I believe in that statement, and therefore in all kinds of tribulations I simply remember Your promise, and thus I live." The purport is that Draupadi and her five husbands, the Pandavas, were put into severe tribulations by their cousin-brother Duryodhana, as well as by others. The tribulations were so severe that even Bhismadeva, who was both a lifelong brahmacari and a great warrior, would sometimes shed tears thinking of them. He was always surprised that although the Pandavas were so righteous and Draupadi was practically the goddess of fortune, and although Krsna was their friend, still they had to undergo such severe tribulations. Though their tribulations were not ordinary, Draupadi was not discouraged. She knew that because Krsna was their friend, ultimately they would be saved.
A similar statement is there in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Chapter, verse 53, where Havi, the son of King Rsabha, addresses Maharaja Nimi: "My dear King, a person who never deviates even for a moment from engagement in service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Person (engagement which is sought even by great demigods like Indra), with firm conviction that there is nothing more worshipable or desirable than this, is called the first-class devotee."
Sri Rupa Gosvami says that a neophyte devotee who has simply developed a slight love of Godhead is certainly a prospective candidate for devotional service. When he becomes firmly fixed in such devotional service, that assured status becomes a confidential part of his devotional service.
Sometimes it is found that a pure devotee lies down in the temple of the Lord in order to serve Him as a confidential friend. Such friendly behavior of a devotee may be accepted as raganuga, or spontaneous. Although, according to regulative principles, no one can lie down in the temple of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this spontaneous love of Godhead may be grouped under devotional service in friendship.
Surrendering Everything to the Lord
Regarding complete self-surrender, there is a nice description in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verse 34, where the Lord says, "A person who has completely surrendered unto Me and has completely given up all other activities is protected by Me personally, both in this life and in the next. In other words, I wish to help him become more and more advanced in spiritual life. Such a person is to be understood as having already achieved sarsti [having equal opulences with the Supreme]." It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that as soon as a person surrenders unto the lotus feet of Krsna, Krsna takes charge of him and gives him a guarantee of protection from all sinful reactions. He also instructs from within, so that the devotee may very quickly make advancement toward spiritual perfection.
This self-surrender is called atma-nivedana. According to different authorities, self is differently defined. Self is sometimes considered to refer to the spirit self, or soul, and self is sometimes considered to refer to the mind or to the body. Full self-surrender, therefore, means not only surrendering one's self as spirit soul, but also surrendering one's mind and body to the service of the Lord. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung a nice song in this connection. While offering himself as a fully surrendered soul, he said, "My mind, my household affairs, my body, whatever is in my possession, my dear Lord, I offer to You for Your service. Now You can do with them as You like. You are the supreme possessor of everything, so if You like You can kill me, or if You like You can give me protection. All authority belongs to You. I have nothing to claim as my own."
Sri Yamunacarya, in his prayers to the Lord, has expressed a similar idea in the following words: "My dear Lord, I may be living within some body as a human being or as a demigod, but whatever mode of life, I do not mind, because these bodies are simply by-products of the three modes of material nature, and I, who am in possession of these bodies, am surrendering myself unto You."
In the Hari-bhakti-viveka, there is a statement regarding how one can offer his body in self-surrender. There the devotee says, "My dear Lord, as a sold animal has no need to think about his maintenance and sustenance, so, because I have given up my body and soul unto You, I am no longer concerned with my maintenance and sustenance." In other words, one should not bother about his personal or family maintenance or sustenance. If one is actually surrendered in body and soul, he should always remember that his only concern is to be engaged in the service of the Lord.
Srila Rupa Gosvami says that devotional service in friendship and devotional service in self-surrender are two difficult processes. Therefore such relationships with the Lord can very rarely be seen. Only for the advanced devotees are these two processes easily executed. The purport is that it is very rare to see surrender which is mixed with sincere ecstatic devotion. One must give himself completely to the will of the Lord.
Offering a Favorite Article
In the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eleventh Chapter, verse 41, Lord Krsna tells Uddhava, "My dear friend, if someone offers Me the best thing in his possession, or anything which is very pleasing to him, he will be eternally benefited."
Performing All Endeavors for Krsna
In the Narada-pancaratra there is a statement of how one can act in all spheres of life for the satisfaction of the Lord. It is stated there that a person who is actually in devotional service must be engaged in all kinds of activities--those prescribed in the revealed scriptures and also those which are accepted for livelihood. In other words, not only should a devotee engage himself in the prescribed duties of devotional service which are mentioned in the revealed scriptures, but he should also perform the duties of his practical life in Krsna consciousness. For example, a devotee who has a great establishment or factory may offer the fruits of such a material possession for the service of the Lord.
Being a Surrendered Soul
In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa there is the following statement about self-surrender: "My dear Lord, a person who has surrendered himself unto You, who is in firm conviction that he is Yours, and who actually acts in that way by his body, mind and words, can actually relish transcendental bliss."
In the Nrsimha Purana, Lord Nrsimhadeva says, "Anyone who prays unto Me and takes shelter from Me becomes My ward, and I protect him always from all sorts of calamities."
Serving Trees Such as the Tulasi
In the Skanda Purana there is a statement praising the tulasi tree as follows: "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the tulasi tree, which can immediately vanquish volumes of sinful activities. Simply by seeing or touching this tree one can become relieved from all distresses and diseases. Simply by offering obeisances to and pouring water on the tulasi tree, one can become freed from the fear of being sent to the court of Yamaraja [the King of death, who punishes the sinful]. If someone sows a tulasi tree somewhere, certainly he becomes devoted to Lord Krsna. And when the tulasi leaves are offered in devotion at the lotus feet of Krsna, there is the full development of love of Godhead."
In India all Hindus, even those not belonging to the Vaisnava group, take special care of the tulasi tree. Even in great cities where it is very difficult to keep a tulasi tree, people are to be found very carefully keeping this plant. They water it and offer obeisances to it, because worship of the tulasi tree is very important in devotional service.
In the Skanda Purana there is another statement about tulasi, as follows: "Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the tulasi tree in the above-mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world."
Chapter Twelve
Further Aspects of Transcendental Service
Hearing the Revealed Scriptures
According to Srila Rupa Gosvami, any book which gives enlightenment in the matter of advancing in devotional service is considered to be revealed scripture. Srila Madhvacarya has also defined revealed scriptures as referring to books such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Upanisads, Vedanta--and any other literature written in pursuance of such revealed scriptures.
In the Skanda Purana there is this statement: "A person who is constantly engaged in reading literature enunciating the cultivation of Vaisnava devotional service is always glorious in human society, and certainly Lord Krsna becomes pleased with him. A person who very carefully keeps such literature at home and offers respectful obeisances to it becomes freed from all sinful reactions and ultimately becomes worshipable by the demigods."
It is also said to Narada Muni, "My dear Narada, a person who writes Vaisnava literature and keeps such literature at home has Lord Narayana always residing in his house."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Twelfth Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, verse 15, it is stated, "Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedanta philosophy. Any person who has become attached in some way or other to the reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot have any taste for reading any other literature. In other words, a person who has relished the transcendental bliss of Srimad-Bhagavatam cannot be satisfied with mundane writings."
Residing in Mathura
In the Varaha Purana there is a statement praising the residential quarters of Mathura. Lord Varaha tells the men of earth, "Any person who becomes attracted to places other than Mathura will certainly be captivated by the illusory energy." In the Brahmanda Purana it is said that all the results of traveling on all the pilgrimages within the three worlds can be achieved simply by touching the holy land of Mathura. In many sastras (scriptures) it is said that simply by hearing, remembering, glorifying, desiring, seeing or touching the land of Mathura, one can achieve all desires.
Rendering Service to Devotees
In the Padma Purana, there is a nice statement praising the service of the Vaisnavas, or devotees. In that scripture Lord Siva tells Parvati, "My dear Parvati, there are different methods of worship, and out of all such methods the worship of the Supreme Person is considered to be the highest. But even higher than the worship of the Lord is the worship of the Lord's devotees."
A similar statement is in the Third Canto, Seventh Chapter, verse 19, of Srimad-Bhagavatam: "Let me become a sincere servant of the devotees, because by serving them one can achieve unalloyed devotional service unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The service of devotees diminishes all miserable material conditions and develops within one a deep devotional love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In the Skanda Purana there is a similar statement: "Persons whose bodies are marked with tilaka, symbolizing the conchshell, wheel, club and lotus--and who keep the leaves of tulasi on their heads, and whose bodies are always decorated with gopi-candana--even seen once, can help the seer be relieved from all sinful activities."
A similar statement is found in the First Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, verse 33, of Srimad-Bhagavatam: "There is no doubt about one's becoming freed from all reactions to sinful activities after visiting a devotee or touching his lotus feet or giving him a sitting place. Even by remembering the activities of such a Vaisnava, one becomes purified, along with one's whole family. And what, then, can be said of rendering direct service to him?"
In the Adi Purana there is the following statement by Lord Krsna Himself, addressed to Arjuna: "My dear Partha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee." No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaisnava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him.
Sri Rupa Gosvami affirms that all the quotations given in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu from different scriptures are accepted by the great acaryas and devotees of the Lord.
Serving the Lord According to One's Position
In the Padma Purana there is a statement that one should perform the ceremonies for the Lord according to one's financial position. Everyone should observe the different ceremonies and celebrations of the Lord by all means.
Performing Devotional Service in Karttika
One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Urja-vrata. Urja-vrata is observed in the month of Karttika (October-November); especially in Vrndavana, there is a specific program for temple worship of the Lord in His Damodara form. "Damodara" refers to Krsna's being bound with rope by His mother, Yasoda. It is said that just as Lord Damodara is very dear to His devotees, so the month known as Damodara or Karttika is also very dear to them.
The execution of devotional service during Urja-vrata in the month of Karttika is especially recommended to be performed at Mathura. This system is still followed by many devotees. They go to Mathura or Vrndavana and stay there during the month of Karttika specifically to perform devotional services during this period.
In the Padma Purana it is said, "The Lord may offer liberation or material happiness to a devotee, but after some devotional service has been executed, particularly in Mathura during the month of Karttika, the devotees want only to attain pure devotional service unto the Lord." The purport is that the Lord does not award devotional service to ordinary persons who are not serious about it. But even such unserious persons who execute devotional service according to the regulative principles during the month of Karttika, and within the jurisdiction of Mathura in India, are very easily awarded the Lord's personal service.
Observing Festivals Celebrating the Lord's Activities
In the Bhavisya Purana there is a statement about observing different ceremonies celebrating the Lord's appearance (birthday) and other transcendental activities. It is said, "My Lord Janardana [Krsna], please let us know the date when Your mother Devaki-devi gave birth to You. If You kindly inform us about this, then we shall observe a great celebration on this date. O killer of Kesi, we are souls one-hundred-percent surrendered unto Your lotus feet, and we wish only to please You with our ceremonies."
This statement of the Bhavisya Purana gives evidence that by observing different functions in relationship with the Lord one is sure to become pleasing to the Lord.
Serving the Deity with Great Devotion
It is said in the Adi Purana, "A person who is constantly engaged in chanting the holy name and who feels transcendental pleasure, being engaged in devotional service, is certainly awarded the facilities of devotional service and is never given just mukti [liberation]."
Mukti means liberation from material contamination; when liberated, one does not have to take birth again in the material world. The impersonalists desire to merge into the spiritual existence, to end their individual existence, but according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, mukti is only the beginning of one's becoming situated in his normal condition. The normal condition of every living entity is to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. From the statement of the Adi Purana it appears that a devotee is satisfied simply with being engaged in devotional service. He does not aspire for any liberation from material, conditional life. In other words, anyone who is engaged in devotional service is not in the material condition of life, although he may appear so.
Recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam Among Devotees
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the desire tree of Vedic wisdom. Veda itself means "the aggregate of knowledge." And whatever knowledge is required for human society is perfectly presented in Srimad-Bhagavatam. There are different branches of knowledge in the Vedic writings, including sociology, politics, medicine and military art. All these and other branches of knowledge are perfectly described in the Vedas. So, as far as spiritual knowledge is concerned, that is also perfectly described there, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered to be the ripened fruit of this desire-fulfilling tree of the Vedas. A tree is honored by the production of its fruit. For example, a mango tree is considered very valuable because it produces the king of all fruits, the mango. When the mango fruit becomes ripened it is the greatest gift of that tree, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is similarly held to be the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree. And as ripened fruit becomes more relishable when first touched by the beak of a parrot, or suka, Srimad-Bhagavatam has become more relishable by being delivered through the transcendental mouth of Sukadeva Gosvami.
Srimad-Bhagavatam should be received in disciplic succession without any breakage. When a ripened fruit comes from the upper part of the tree onto the ground by the process of being handed down from a higher branch to a lower branch by persons in the tree, the fruit does not break. Srimad-Bhagavatam, when received in the parampara system, or disciplic succession, will likewise remain unbroken. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that the disciplic succession, or parampara, is the way of receiving transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge must come down through the disciplic succession, through authorized persons who know the real purpose of the sastra.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that one learn Srimad-Bhagavatam from the mouth of the self-realized person called bhagavatam. Bhagavata means "in relationship with the Personality of Godhead [Bhagavan]." So the devotee is sometimes called bhagavatam, and the book which is in relationship with devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also called Bhagavatam. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended that, in order to relish the real taste of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one should take instruction from the person bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is relishable even by a liberated person. Sukadeva Gosvami admitted that although he was liberated from within the very womb of his mother, it was only after relishing Srimad-Bhagavatam that he became a great devotee. Thus, one who is desirous of advancing in Krsna consciousness should relish the purport of Srimad-Bhagavatam through the discussions of authorized devotees.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, First Chapter, verse 9, Sukadeva Gosvami admits that although he was very much attracted by the impersonal Brahman, when he heard the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the mouth of his father, Vyasadeva, he became more attracted to Srimad-Bhagavatam. The idea is that Vyasadeva was also a self-realized soul, and his mature contribution of transcendental knowledge was delivered directly to Sukadeva Gosvami in the manner indicated.
Associating with Advanced Devotees
The importance of discussing Srimad-Bhagavatam in the society of pure devotees was explained by Saunaka Muni during the meeting at Naimisaranya, in the presence of Suta Gosvami. Suta Gosvami confirmed that if someone is fortunate enough to associate with a pure devotee of the Lord even for a moment, that particular moment is so valuable that even those pious activities which can promote one to the heavenly planets or give liberation from material miseries cannot compare to it. In other words, those who are attached to Srimad-Bhagavatam do not care for any kind of benefit derived from elevation to the higher planetary kingdoms, or for the liberation which is conceived of by the impersonalists. As such, the association of pure devotees is so transcendentally valuable that no kind of material happiness can compare to it.
In the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya there is a conversation between Prahlada Maharaja and his father, Hiranyakasipu, in which Hiranyakasipu addresses Prahlada in this way: "My dear son, association is very important. It acts just like a crystal stone, which will reflect anything which is put before it." Similarly, if we associate with the flowerlike devotees of the Lord, and if our hearts are crystal clear, then certainly the same action will be there. Another example given in this connection is that if a man is potent and if a woman is not diseased, then by their conjugation there will be conception. In the same way, if the recipient of spiritual knowledge and the deliverer of spiritual knowledge are sincere and bona fide, there will be good results.
Chanting the Holy Name of the Lord
The importance of chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is very strongly stressed in the Second Canto, First Chapter, verse 11, of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the following way. Sukadeva Gosvami tells Maharaja Pariksit, "My dear King, if one is spontaneously attached to the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, it is to be understood that he has attained the highest perfectional stage." It is specifically mentioned that the karmis who are aspiring after the fruitive results of their activities, the salvationists who are aspiring to become one with the Supreme Person, and the yogis who are aspiring after mystic perfections can achieve the results of all perfectional stages simply by chanting the maha-mantra. Sukadeva uses the word nirnitam, which means "it has already been decided." He was a liberated soul and therefore could not accept anything which was not conclusive. So Sukadeva Gosvami especially stresses that it has already been concluded that one who has come to the stage of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra with determination and steadiness must be considered to have already passed the trials of fruitive activities, mental speculation and mystic yoga.
The same thing is confirmed in the Adi Purana by Krsna. While addressing Arjuna He says, "Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased."
In the Padma Purana also it is stated, "The chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is present only on the lips of a person who has for many births worshiped Vasudeva." It is further said in the Padma Purana, "There is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. As such, the holy name is as perfect as the Lord Himself in fullness, purity and eternity. The holy name is not a material sound vibration, nor has it any material contamination." The holy name cannot, therefore, be chanted offenselessly by one who has failed to purify his senses. In other words, materialistic senses cannot properly chant the holy names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. But by adopting this chanting process, one is given a chance to actually purify himself, so that he may very soon chant offenselessly.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Krsna mantra just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their hearts and who want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. One should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so, under the guidance of a spiritual master, the disciple is trained to render service and at the same time chant the Hare Krsna mantra. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the maha-mantra.
Living in Mathura
In the Padma Purana there is a statement about the importance of living at holy places like Mathura or Dvaraka. It is stated there, "To travel to different places of pilgrimage means to attain emancipation from material bondage. This emancipation, however, is not the highest perfectional stage. After attaining this liberated stage, one has to become engaged in devotional service to the Lord. After attainment of the brahma-bhuta [liberation] stage, one can further advance to engagement in devotional service. So this attainment of transcendental loving devotional service to the Lord is the goal of life, and it can be achieved very easily for one who lives in Mathura-mandala even for a few seconds."
It is further said, "Who is that person who will not agree to worship the land of Mathura? Mathura can deliver all the desires and ambitions of the fruitive workers and of the salvationists, who desire to become one with the Supreme Brahman. Certainly Mathura will deliver the desires of the devotees, who simply aspire to be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord." In the Vedic literature it is also stated, "How wonderful it is that simply by residing in Mathura even for one day, one can achieve a transcendental loving attitude toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead! This land of Mathura must be more glorious than Vaikuntha-dhama, the kingdom of God!"
Chapter Thirteen
Five Potent Forms of Devotional Service
Rupa Gosvami has stated that five kinds of devotional activities--namely residing in Mathura, worshiping the Deity of the Lord, reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam, serving a devotee and chanting the Hare Krsna mantra--are so potent that a small attachment for any one of these five items can arouse devotional ecstasy even in a neophyte.
Regarding worship of the form of the Lord, or Deity, Rupa Gosvami has written the following verse: "My dear friend, if you still have any desire to enjoy the company of your friends within this material world, then don't look upon the form of Krsna, who is standing on the bank of Kesi-ghata [a bathing place in Vrndavana]. He is known as Govinda, and His eyes are very enchanting. He is playing upon His flute, and on His head there is a peacock feather. And His whole body is illuminated by the moonlight in the sky."
The purport of this verse is that if someone becomes attached to the sri-murti, or Deity of Krsna, by worshiping at home, then he will forget his relationships of so-called friendship, love and society. Thus it is the duty of every householder to install Deities of the Lord at home and to begin the process of worshiping along with all of his family members. This will save everyone from such unwanted activities as going to clubs, cinemas and dancing parties, and smoking, drinking, etc. All such nonsense will be forgotten if one stresses the worship of the Deities at home.
Rupa Gosvami further writes, "My dear foolish friend, I think that you have already heard some of the auspicious Srimad-Bhagavatam, which decries seeking the results of fruitive activities, economic development and liberation. I think that now it is certain that gradually the verses of the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, describing the pastimes of the Lord, will enter your ears and go into your heart."
In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that unless one has the ability to throw out, just like garbage, the fruitive results of ritualistic ceremonies, economic development and becoming one with the Supreme (or salvation), one cannot understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Bhagavatam deals exclusively with devotional service. Only one who studies Srimad-Bhagavatam in the spirit of renunciation can understand the pastimes of the Lord which are described in the Tenth Canto. In other words, one should not try to understand the topics of the Tenth Canto, such as the rasa-lila (love dance), unless he has spontaneous attraction for Srimad-Bhagavatam. One must be situated in pure devotional service before he can relish Srimad-Bhagavatam as it is.
In the above two verses of Rupa Gosvami there are some metaphorical analogies that indirectly condemn the association of materialistic society, friendship and love. People are generally attracted to society, friendship and love, and they make elaborate arrangements and strong endeavors to develop these material contaminations. But to see the sri-murtis of Radha and Krsna is to forget such endeavors for material association. Rupa Gosvami composed his verse in such a way that he was seemingly praising the material association of friendship and love and was condemning the audience of sri-murti or Govinda. This metaphorical analogy is constructed in such a way that things which seem to be praised are condemned, and things which are to be condemned are praised. The actual import of the verse is that one must see the form of Govinda if one at all wants to forget the nonsense of material friendship, love and society.
Srila Rupa Gosvami has similarly described the transcendental nature of relishing topics which concern Krsna. A devotee once said, "It is very astonishing that since I have seen this Personality of Godhead, who is washed by the tears of my eyes, there is shivering of my body, and He has made me a failure in executing my material duties. Since seeing Him, I cannot remain silently at home. I wish to go out to Him always." The purport of this statement is that as soon as one is fortunate enough to contact a pure devotee, one must be anxious immediately to hear about Krsna, to learn about Krsna, or, in other words, to become fully Krsna conscious.
Similarly, there is a statement about hearing and chanting the maha-mantra: "It is said that saints have been able to hear the vibrating strings of the vina in the hands of Narada, who is always singing the glories of Lord Krsna. Now this same sound vibration has entered my ears, and I am always feeling the presence of the Supreme Personality. Gradually I am becoming bereft of all attachment for material enjoyment."
Again, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described Mathura-mandala: "I remember the Lord standing by the banks of the Yamuna River, so beautiful amid the kadamba trees, where many birds are chirping in the gardens. And these impressions are always giving me transcendental realization of beauty and bliss." This feeling about Mathura-mandala and Vrndavana described by Rupa Gosvami can actually be felt even by nondevotees. The places in the eighty-four-square-mile district of Mathura are so beautifully situated on the banks of the River Yamuna that anyone who goes there will never want to return to this material world. These statements by Rupa Gosvami are factually realized descriptions of Mathura and Vrndavana. All these qualities prove that Mathura and Vrndavana are situated transcendentally. Otherwise, there would be no possibility of invoking our transcendental sentiments in these places. Such transcendental feelings are aroused immediately and without fail after one arrives in Mathura or Vrndavana.
In these statements about devotional service, sometimes it may appear that the results have been overestimated, but actually there is no overestimation. Some devotees, as revealed scriptures give evidence, have had immediate results by such association, although this is not possible for all. For example, the Kumaras immediately became devotees simply by smelling the incense in the temple. Bilvamangala Thakura simply heard about Krsna and then immediately gave up his beautiful girl friend and started out for Mathura and Vrndavana, where he became a perfect Vaisnava. So these statements are not overestimations, nor are they stories. They are actual facts, but are true for certain devotees and do not necessarily apply to all. These descriptions, even if considered overestimations, must be taken as they are, in order to divert our attention from the fleeting material beauty to the eternal beauty of Krsna consciousness. And for a person who is already in contact with Krsna consciousness, the described results are not unusual.
Some scholars argue that simply by following the principles of varna and asrama one can gradually rise to the perfections reached by practicing devotional service, but this argument is not accepted by the great authorities. Lord Caitanya also condemned this idea while He was talking with Ramananda Raya about the gradual development of devotional service. He rejected the idea of the importance of varnasrama-dharma when it was put forward by Ramananda Raya. He said that this advancement of varna and asrama is merely external. There is a higher principle. In Bhagavad-gita also the Lord says that one has to give up all other principles of elevation and take simply to the method of Krsna consciousness. That will help one in achieving the highest perfection of life.
In the Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verse 9, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Lord Himself says, "One should execute the prescribed duties of varna and asrama as long as he has not developed spontaneous attachment for hearing about My pastimes and activities." In other words, the prescribed forms of varna and asrama are ritualistic ceremonies of religion intended for economic development, sense gratification or salvation. All of these things are recommended for persons who have not developed Krsna consciousness; in fact, all such activities are recommended in the revealed scriptures only to bring one to the point of Krsna consciousness. But one who has already developed spontaneous attachment for Krsna does not require to execute the duties prescribed in the scriptures.
Chapter Fourteen
Devotional Qualifications
Some scholars recommend that knowledge and renunciation are important factors for elevating oneself to devotional service. But actually that is not a fact. Actually, the cultivation of knowledge or renunciation, which are favorable for achieving a footing in Krsna consciousness, may be accepted in the beginning, but ultimately they may also come to be rejected, for devotional service is dependent on nothing other than the sentiment or desire for such service. It requires nothing more than sincerity.
It is the opinion of expert devotees that mental speculation and the artificial austerities of yoga practice may be favorable for becoming liberated from material contamination, but they will also make one's heart harder and harder. They will not help at all in the progress of devotional service. These processes are therefore not favorable for entering into the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Actually, Krsna consciousness--devotional service itself--is the only way of advancing in devotional life. Devotional service is absolute; it is both the cause and the effect. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause and effect of all that be, and to approach Him, the Absolute, the process of devotional service--which is also absolute--has to be adopted.
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself: "One can understand Me only through devotional service." In beginning His teaching of the Gita, the Lord said to Arjuna, "Because you are My devotee, I shall teach these secrets to you." Vedic knowledge means ultimately to understand the Supreme Lord, and the process of entering into His kingdom is devotional service. That is accepted by all authentic scriptures. Mental speculators neglect the process of devotional service, and by simply trying to defeat others in philosophical research they fail to develop the ecstasy of devotion.
In the Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verse 31, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krsna says, "My dear Uddhava, for persons who are seriously engaged in My service, the cultivation of philosophical speculation and artificial renunciation are not very favorable. When a person becomes My devotee he automatically attains the fruits of the renunciation of material enjoyment, and he gets sufficient knowledge to understand the Absolute Truth." That is the test of advancement in devotional service. A devotee cannot be in darkness, because the Lord shows him special favor and enlightens him from within.
In the Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verses 32 and 33, of Srimad-Bhagavatam the Lord further instructs Uddhava, "My dear friend, the profits derived from fruitive activities, austerities, the culture of philosophical knowledge, renunciation, the practice of mystic yoga, charity and all similar auspicious activities are automatically achieved by My devotees--those who are simply attached to Me by loving service. These devotees have everything at their disposal, but they desire nothing outside of My devotional service. If ever a devotee should desire some material profit, like promotion to the heavenly planets, or some spiritual profit--to go to the Vaikunthas--by My causeless mercy his desires are very easily fulfilled."
Actually, a person who is developing Krsna consciousness and still has some attachment to material enjoyment will soon be freed from such a tendency by regularly discharging devotional service under the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master.
Srila Rupa Gosvami, then, recommends that one should not be attached to material sense enjoyment, but should accept everything enjoyable which is in relationship to Krsna. For example, eating is necessary, and one wants some palatable dishes to satisfy his sense of taste. So in that case, for the satisfaction of Krsna rather than for the satisfaction of the tongue, some palatable dishes may be prepared and offered to Krsna. Then it is renunciation. Let the palatable dishes be prepared, but unless they are offered to Krsna one should not accept them for eating. This vow of rejecting anything which is not offered to Krsna is actually renunciation. And by such renunciation one is able to satisfy the demands of the senses.
The impersonalists, who try to avoid everything material, may undergo severe austerities, but they miss the opportunity of being engaged in the service of the Lord. Thus their renunciation is not sufficient for perfection. There are many instances where, following such artificial renunciation without any contact with devotional service, the impersonalist again fell down and became attracted to material contamination. There are many supposed renouncers even at the present moment who officially become sannyasis, or renouncers, and outwardly claim that spiritual existence is truth and material existence untruth. In this way, artificially they make a show of renunciation of the material world. However, because they cannot reach the point of devotional service, they fail to achieve the goal, and they again come back to material activities, such as philanthropic work and political agitation. There are many examples of so-called sannyasis who gave up the world as untruth but again came to the material world, because they were not seeking their real repose at the lotus feet of the Lord.
One should not give up anything which can be utilized in the service of the Lord. That is a secret of devotional service. Anything that can be utilized in advancing Krsna consciousness and devotional service should be accepted. For instance, we are using many machines for the advancement of our present Krsna consciousness movement, machines like typewriters, dictating machines, tape recorders, microphones and airplanes. Sometimes people ask us, "Why are you utilizing material products if you condemn the advancement of material civilization?" But actually we do not condemn. We simply ask people to do whatever they are doing in Krsna consciousness. This is the same principle on which, in Bhagavad-gita, Krsna advised Arjuna to utilize his fighting abilities in devotional service. Similarly, we are utilizing these machines for Krsna's service. With such sentiment for Krsna, or Krsna consciousness, we can accept everything. If the typewriter can be utilized for advancing our Krsna consciousness movement, we must accept it. Similarly, the dictating machine or any other machine must be used. Our vision is that Krsna is everything. Krsna is the cause and effect, and nothing belongs to us. Krsna's things must be used in the service of Krsna. That is our vision.
This does not mean, however, that we should give up the principles of discharging devotional service or neglect abiding by the rules and regulations prescribed therein. In the neophyte stage of devotion one must follow all the principles, regulated by the authority of the spiritual master. The acceptance and rejection of things should always be in pursuance of the devotional principles; not that one can independently manufacture some idea of what should be accepted or rejected. The spiritual master as the visible manifestation of Krsna is necessary, therefore, to direct the devotee on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The spiritual master must never be carried away by an accumulation of wealth or a large number of followers. A bona fide spiritual master will never become like that. But sometimes, if a spiritual master is not properly authorized and only on his own initiative becomes a spiritual master, he may be carried away by an accumulation of wealth and large numbers of disciples. His is not a very high grade of devotional service. If a person is carried away by such achievements, then his devotional service becomes slackened. One should therefore strictly adhere to the principles of disciplic succession.
A Krsna conscious person, being naturally purified, has no need of developing any other purificatory process of thought or action. On account of his being highly elevated in Krsna consciousness, he has already acquired all the good qualities and is following the rules and regulations prescribed for the mystic yogic process. Such rules are automatically practiced by the devotees. A concrete example is the quality of nonviolence, which is considered a good qualification. A devotee is naturally nonviolent and therefore doesn't have to practice nonviolence separately. Some people seek purification by joining a vegetarian movement, but a devotee is automatically a vegetarian. He doesn't need to practice separately in this matter or to join any society for vegetarians. He is automatically a vegetarian.
There are many other instances showing that a devotee needn't practice anything but Krsna consciousness; all the good qualities of the demigods automatically develop within him. Those who are intentionally practicing to be vegetarians or to become nonviolent may have good qualifications by a material estimation, but these qualifications are not sufficient to make them devotees. A vegetarian is not necessarily a devotee, nor is a nonviolent person. But a devotee is automatically both vegetarian and nonviolent. We must conclude, therefore, that vegetarianism or nonviolence is not the cause of devotion.
In this connection, there is a story in the Skanda Purana about a hunter who was converted into a great devotee under the instruction of Narada Muni. When the hunter became a perfect devotee, he was not prepared to kill even an ant. Parvata Muni, a friend of Narada's, saw the wonderful transformation of the hunter by devotional service and remarked, "My dear hunter, your unwillingness to kill even an ant is not very astonishing. Any person who develops the devotional attitude has all the good qualities automatically manifested in his person. A devotee is never a cause of distress to anyone."
Sri Rupa Gosvami affirms herein that purification of consciousness, purification of bodily activities, austerities, peace of mind, etc., all become automatically manifest in the person who is engaged in devotional service.
Sri Rupa Gosvami affirms herein that there are nine different kinds of devotional service, which are listed as hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping the Deity in the temple, praying, carrying out orders, serving Krsna as a friend and sacrificing everything for Him. Each and every one of these processes is so powerful that if anyone follows even one single one of them, he can achieve the desired perfection without fail. For example, if one is attached simply to hearing about the Lord and another is attached to chanting the glories of the name, both will achieve their desired goal in devotional service. In the Caitanya-caritamrta this has been explained. One may execute one, two, three or all the different processes of devotional service, and at the ultimate end he will achieve the desired goal of being established in devotional service.
There are concrete examples of how a devotee discharged one of these services and achieved perfection. King Pariksit achieved the desired goal of life simply by hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sukadeva Gosvami achieved the desired goal of life simply by reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam. Prahlada Maharaja became successful in his devotional service by always remembering the Lord. Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, was successful by engaging herself in massaging the lotus feet of the Lord. King Prthu became successful by worshiping in the temple. Akrura became successful by offering prayers. Hanuman became successful by rendering personal service to Lord Ramacandra. Arjuna became successful by being a friend of Krsna. And Bali Maharaja became successful simply by offering all of his possessions to Krsna.
There are also examples of devotees who discharged all the different items together. In the Ninth Canto, Fourth Chapter, verses 18, 19 and 20, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a statement about Maharaja Ambarisa, who followed every one of the devotional processes. In these verses, Sukadeva Gosvami says, "King Ambarisa first of all concentrated his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Krsna and then engaged his speech in describing the pastimes and activities of the Lord. He engaged his hands in washing the temple of the Lord. He engaged his ears in hearing of the transcendental glories of the Lord. He engaged his eyes in seeing the beautiful Deity in the temple. He engaged his body in associating with the pure devotees of the Lord. [When you associate with someone you have to sit down together, eat together, etc.--and in this way the touch of your body with his body is inevitable. Ambarisa Maharaja made his association only with pure devotees and did not allow his body to be touched by anyone else.] He engaged his nostrils in smelling the flowers and tulasi offered to Krsna, and he engaged his tongue in tasting Krsna prasada [food prepared specifically for offering to the Lord, the remnants of which are taken by the devotees]. Maharaja Ambarisa was able to offer very nice prasada to Krsna because he was a king and had no scarcity of finances. He used to offer Krsna the most royal dishes and would then taste the remnants as krsna-prasada. There was no scarcity in his royal style, because he had a very beautiful temple wherein the Deity of the Lord was decorated with costly paraphernalia and offered high-grade food. So everything was available, and his engagement was always completely in Krsna consciousness." The idea is that we should follow in the footsteps of great devotees. If we are unable to execute all the different items of devotional service, we must try to execute at least one of them, as exemplified by previous acaryas. If we are engaged in the execution of all the items of devotional service, as was Maharaja Ambarisa, then the perfection of devotional service is guaranteed from each one of these items. With the first complete engagement, one becomes automatically detached from material contamination, and liberation becomes the maidservant of the devotee. This idea is confirmed by Bilvamangala Thakura. If one develops unalloyed devotion to the Lord, liberation will follow the devotee as his maidservant.
Srila Rupa Gosvami says that the regulative principles of devotional service are sometimes described by authorities as the path of serving the Lord in opulence.
Chapter Fifteen
Spontaneous Devotional Service
Examples of spontaneous devotional service can be easily seen in Krsna's direct associates in Vrndavana. The spontaneous dealings of the residents of Vrndavana in relationship with Krsna are called raganuga. These beings don't have to learn anything about devotional service; they are already perfect in all regulative principles and have achieved the spontaneous loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For example, the cowherd boys who are playing with Krsna do not have to learn by austerities or penances or yogic practice how to play with Him. They have passed all tests of regulative principles in their previous lives, and as a result they are now elevated to the position of direct association with Krsna as His dear friends. Their spontaneous attitude is called raganuga-bhakti.
Sri Rupa Gosvami has defined raganuga-bhakti as spontaneous attraction for something while completely absorbed in thoughts in it, with an intense desire of love. Devotional service executed with such feelings of spontaneous love is called raganuga-bhakti. Devotional service under the heading of raganuga can be further divided into two categories: one category is called "sensual attraction," and the other is called "relationship."
In this connection, there is a statement by Narada Muni to Yudhisthira in the Seventh Canto, First Chapter, verse 30, of Srimad-Bhagavatam. There Narada says, "My dear King, there are many devotees who first become attracted to the Personality of Godhead for purposes of sense gratification, from being envious of Him, out of fear of Him or from desiring to associate affectionately with Him. Ultimately these attractions become freed from all material contamination, and gradually the worshiper develops spiritual love and achieves that ultimate goal of life desired by the pure devotee."
The gopis may be considered to be examples of spontaneous love in sensual attraction. The gopis are young girls, and Krsna is a young boy. Superficially it seems that the gopis are attracted to Krsna on grounds of sex. Similarly, King Kamsa was attracted to Krsna because of fear. Kamsa was always fearful of Krsna, because it had been foretold that his sister's son, Krsna, would kill him. Sisupala was also always envious of Krsna. And the descendants of King Yadu, due to their family relationship with Krsna, were always thinking of Him as one of their members. All of these different kinds of devotees have a spontaneous attraction for Krsna, in different categories, and they achieve the same desired goal of life.
The attraction of the gopis for Krsna and the affection of the members of the Yadu dynasty are both accepted as spontaneous, or raganuga. The attraction of Kamsa to Krsna in fear and the attraction of Sisupala in envy are not accepted as devotional service, however, because their attitudes are not favorable. Devotional service should be executed only in a favorable frame of mind. Therefore, according to Srila Rupa Gosvami, such attractions are not considered to be in devotional service. Again, he analyzes the affection of the Yadus. If it is on the platform of friendship, then it is spontaneous love, but if it is on the platform of regulative principles, then it is not. And only when affection comes to the platform of spontaneous love is it counted in the category of pure devotional service.
There may be some difficulty in understanding that both the gopis and Kamsa achieved the same goal, so this point should be clearly understood, because the attitudes of Kamsa and Sisupala were different from that of the gopis. Although in all these cases the focus is on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all of the devotees are elevated to the spiritual world, there is still a distinction between these two classes of souls. In the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is one and that He is manifested as impersonal Brahman, Paramatma (Supersoul) and Bhagavan (the Supreme Personality of Godhead). Here is a spiritual distinction. Although Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are the same-and-one Absolute Truth, devotees like Kamsa or Sisupala could attain only to the Brahman effulgence. They could not have realization of Paramatma or Bhagavan. That is the distinction.
An analogy can be given with the sun globe and the sunshine: to remain in the sunshine does not mean one has gone to the sun globe. The temperature of the sun globe is different from the temperature of the sunshine. One who has gone through the sunshine in jet planes or in spaceships has not necessarily gone to the sun globe. Although the sunshine and the sun globe are actually one and the same, still there is a distinction, for one is the energy and one is the energetic source. The Absolute Truth and His bodily effulgence are in the same way simultaneously one and different. Kamsa and Sisupala attained to the Absolute Truth, but they were not allowed to enter into the Goloka Vrndavana abode. Impersonalists and the enemies of the Lord are, because of attraction to God, allowed to enter into His kingdom, but they are not allowed to enter into the Vaikuntha planets or the Goloka Vrndavana planet of the Supreme Lord. To enter the kingdom and to enter the king's palace are not the same thing.
Srila Rupa Gosvami is trying here to describe the different achievements of the impersonalists and the personalists. Generally, those who are impersonalists and are inimical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead get entrance only into the impersonal Brahman, when and if they reach spiritual perfection. The impersonalist philosophers are in one sense like the enemies of the Lord, because the out-and-out enemies of the Lord and the impersonalists are both allowed to enter only into the impersonal effulgence of the brahmajyoti. So it is to be understood that they are of similar classification. And actually the impersonalists are enemies of God, because they cannot tolerate the unparalleled opulence of the Lord. They try always to place themselves on the same level with the Lord. That is due to their envious attitude. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has proclaimed the impersonalists to be offenders of the Lord. The Lord is so kind, however, that even though they are His enemies, they are still allowed to enter into the spiritual kingdom and remain in the impersonal brahmajyoti, the undifferentiated light of the Absolute.
Sometimes an impersonalist may gradually elevate himself to the personal conception of the Lord. Bhagavad-gita confirms this: "After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me." By such surrender, an impersonalist can be elevated to the Vaikunthaloka (spiritual planet) where, as a surrendered soul, he attains bodily features like those of the Lord.
In the Brahmanda Purana it is stated, "Those who have achieved liberation from material contamination and those who are demons and are killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead become absorbed in the Brahman concept of life and reside in the spiritual sky of the brahmajyoti." That spiritual sky is far beyond the material sky, and it is confirmed also in Bhagavad-gita that beyond this material sky there is another, eternal sky. The enemies and the impersonalists may be allowed to enter into this Brahman effulgence, but the devotees of Krsna are promoted all the way to the spiritual planets. Because the pure devotees have developed their spontaneous love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are allowed to enter into the spiritual planets to enjoy spiritual bliss in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In the Tenth Canto, Eighty-seventh Chapter, verse 23, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Vedas personified address the Lord in this way: "My dear Lord, yogis meditate upon Your localized feature, and thus they achieve the spiritual perfection of being merged in the impersonal brahmajyoti. Persons who treat You as an enemy achieve the same perfection without meditating. The gopis, who are embraced by Your serpentine hands and who have such lusty attitudes, also achieve the same perfection. And as far as we are concerned, being different demigods in charge of the different parts of Vedic knowledge, we are always following in the footsteps of the gopis. Thus we hope to attain the same perfection." By "the same perfection" we must always remember the example of the sun and the sunshine. Those who are impersonalists can merge into the sunshinelike brahmajyoti, whereas those who are in love with the Supreme Person enter into the supreme abode of the Lord, Goloka Vrndavana.
The "lusty attitude" of the gopis does not refer to any sort of sex indulgence. Srila Rupa Gosvami explains that this "lusty desire" refers to the devotee's particular attitude of association with Krsna. Every devotee in his perfectional stage has a spontaneous attraction to the Lord. This attraction is sometimes called the "lusty desire" of the devotee. The lust is the devotee's excessive desire to serve the Lord in a particular capacity. Such a desire may seem to be a desire for enjoying the Lord, but actually the endeavor is to serve the Lord in that capacity. For example, a devotee may be desiring to associate with the Personality of Godhead as His cowherd friend. He will want to serve the Lord by assisting Him in controlling the cows in the pasturing ground. This may appear to be a desire to enjoy the company of the Lord, but actually it is spontaneous love, serving Him by assisting in managing the transcendental cows.
Sensual Attraction
This extreme desire to serve the Lord is manifest in the transcendental land of Vraja. And it is specifically manifested among the gopis. The gopis' love for Krsna is so elevated that for our understanding it is sometimes explained as being "lusty desire."
The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Kaviraja Krsnadasa, has explained the distinction between lusty desire and the service attitude in this statement: " 'Lusty desire' refers to the desire to gratify one's personal senses, and 'transcendental desire' refers to the desire for serving the senses of the Lord." In the material world there is no such thing as a lover's wanting to please the senses of his beloved. Actually, in the material world, everyone wants mainly to gratify his own personal senses. The gopis, however, wanted nothing at all but to gratify the senses of the Lord, and there is no instance of this in the material world. Therefore the gopis' ecstatic love for Krsna is sometimes described by scholars as being like the "lusty desire" of the material world, but actually this should not be taken as a literal fact. It is simply a way of trying to understand the transcendental situation.
Great devotees up to the standard of Uddhava are very dear friends of the Lord, and they desire to follow in the footsteps of the gopis. So the gopis' love for Krsna is certainly not material lusty desire. Otherwise, how could Uddhava aspire to follow in their footsteps? Another instance is Lord Caitanya Himself. After accepting the sannyasa order of life, He was very, very strict about avoiding association with women, but still He taught that there is no better method of worshiping Krsna than that conceived by the gopis. Thus the gopis' method of worshiping the Lord as if impelled by lusty desire was praised very highly even by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This very fact means that although the attraction of the gopis for Krsna appears to be lusty, it is not in the least bit material. Unless one is fully situated in the transcendental position, the relationship of the gopis with Krsna is very difficult to understand. But because it appears to be just like ordinary dealings of young boys and girls, it is sometimes misinterpreted to be like the ordinary sex of this material world. Unfortunately, persons who cannot understand the transcendental nature of the love affairs of the gopis and Krsna take it for granted that Krsna's love affairs with the gopis are mundane transactions, and therefore they sometimes indulge in painting licentious pictures in some modernistic style.
On the other hand, the lusty desire of Kubja is described by learned scholars as being "almost lusty desire." Kubja was a hunchbacked woman who also wanted Krsna with a great ecstatic love. But her desire for Krsna was almost mundane, and so her love cannot be compared to the love of the gopis. Her loving affection for Krsna is called kama-praya, or almost like the gopis' love for Krsna.
Chapter Sixteen
Spontaneous Devotion Further Described
Relationship
Spontaneous Devotion Further Described
In the attitude of the denizens of Vrndavana, such as Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda, is to be found the ideal transcendental concept of being the father and mother of Krsna, the original Personality of Godhead. Factually, no one can become the father or mother of Krsna, but a devotee's possession of such transcendental feelings is called love of Krsna in a parental relationship. The Vrsnis (Krsna's relatives at Dvaraka) also felt like that. So spontaneous love of Krsna in the parental relationship is found both among those denizens of Dvaraka who belonged to the dynasty of Vrsni and among the inhabitants of Vrndavana.
Spontaneous love of Krsna as exhibited by the Vrsnis and the denizens of Vrndavana is eternally existing in them. In the stage of devotional service where regulative principles are followed, there is no necessity of discussing this love, for it must develop of itself at a more advanced stage.
Eligibility for Spontaneous Devotional Service
Persons desiring to follow in the footsteps of such eternal devotees of the Lord as the Vrsnis and Vrndavana denizens are called raganuga devotees, which means that they are trying to attain to the perfection of those devotees. These raganuga devotees do not follow the regulative principles of devotional service very strictly, but by spontaneous nature they become attracted to some of the eternal devotees such as Nanda or Yasoda, and they try to follow in their footsteps spontaneously. There is a gradual development of the ambition to become like a particular devotee, and this activity is called raganuga.
We must always remember, however, that such eagerness to follow in the footsteps of the denizens of Vraja (Vrndavana) is not possible unless one is freed from material contamination. In following the regulative principles of devotional service, there is a stage called anartha-nivrtti, which means the disappearance of all material contamination. Sometimes someone is found imitating such devotional love, but factually he is not freed from anarthas, or unwanted habits. It has been seen that a so-called devotee proclaims himself a follower of Nanda, Yasoda or the gopis, while at the same time his abominable attraction for mundane sex life is visible. Such a manifestation of divine love is mere imitation and has no value. When one is actually spontaneously attracted to the loving principles of the gopis, there will be found no trace of any mundane contamination in his character.
Therefore, in the beginning, everyone should strictly follow the regulative principles of devotional service, according to the injunctions of the scriptures and the spiritual master. Only after the stage of liberation from material contamination can one actually aspire to follow in the footsteps of the devotees in Vrndavana.
It is said by Sri Rupa Gosvami, "When one is actually liberated from material contamination, he can always remember an eternal devotee in Vrndavana in order to love Krsna in the same capacity. And developing such an aptitude, one will always live in Vrndavana, even within his mind." The purport is that if it is possible one should go and physically be present at Vrajabhumi, Vrndavana, and be engaged always in the service of the Lord, following the devotees in Vraja-dhama, the spiritual realm of Vraja. If it is not possible, however, to be physically present at Vrndavana, one can meditate anywhere upon living in that situation. Wherever he may be, one must always think about life in Vraja-dhama and about following in the footsteps of a particular devotee in the service of the Lord.
A devotee who is actually advanced in Krsna consciousness, who is constantly engaged in devotional service, should not manifest himself, even though he has attained perfection. The idea is that he should always continue to act as a neophyte devotee as long as his material body is there. Activities in devotional service under regulative principles must be followed even by the pure devotee. But when he realizes his actual position in relationship with the Lord, he can, along with the discharging of regulative service, think within himself of the Lord, under the guidance of a particular associate of the Lord, and develop his transcendental sentiments in following that associate.
In this connection, we should be careful about the so-called siddha-pranali. The siddha-pranali process is followed by a class of men who are not very authorized and who have manufactured their own way of devotional service. They imagine that they have become associates of the Lord simply by thinking of themselves like that. This external behavior is not at all according to the regulative principles. The so-called siddha-pranali process is followed by the prakrta-sahajiya, a pseudosect of so-called Vaisnavas. In the opinion of Rupa Gosvami, such activities are simply disturbances to the standard way of devotional service.
Sri Rupa Gosvami says that learned acaryas recommend that we follow the regulative principles even after the development of spontaneous love for Krsna. According to the regulative principles, there are nine departmental activities, as described above, and one should specifically engage himself in the type of devotional service for which he has a natural aptitude. For example, one person may have a particular interest in hearing, another may have a particular interest in chanting, and another may have a particular interest in serving in the temple. So these, or any of the other six different types of devotional service (remembering, serving, praying, engaging in some particular service, being in a friendly relationship or offering everything in one's possession), should be executed in full earnestness. In this way, everyone should act according to his particular taste.
Conjugal Love
Devotional service following in the footsteps of the gopis of Vrndavana or the queens at Dvaraka is called devotional service in conjugal love. This devotional service in conjugal love can be divided into two categories. One is indirect conjugal love, the other direct. In both of these categories, one has to follow the particular gopi who is engaged in such service in Goloka Vrndavana. To be directly attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in conjugal love is technically called keli. This keli performance means to directly join with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are other devotees who do not wish direct contact with the Supreme Person, but who relish the conjugal love affairs of the Lord with the gopis. Such devotees enjoy simply by hearing of the activities of the Lord with the gopis.
This development of conjugal love can be possible only with those who are already engaged in following the regulative principles of devotional service, specifically in the worship of Radha and Krsna in the temple. Such devotees gradually develop a spontaneous love for the Deity, and by hearing of the Lord's exchange of loving affairs with the gopis, they gradually become attracted to these pastimes. After this spontaneous attraction becomes highly developed, the devotee is placed in either of the above-mentioned categories.
This development of conjugal love for Krsna is not manifested in women only. The material body has nothing to do with spiritual loving affairs. A woman may develop an attitude for becoming a friend of Krsna, and, similarly, a man may develop the feature of becoming a gopi in Vrndavana. How a devotee in the form of a man can desire to become a gopi is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: In days gone by there were many sages in Dandakaranya. Dandakaranya is the name of the forest where Lord Ramacandra lived after being banished by His father for fourteen years. At that time there were many advanced sages who were captivated by the beauty of Lord Ramacandra and who desired to become women in order to embrace the Lord. Later on, these sages appeared in Goloka Vrndavana when Krsna advented Himself there, and they were born as gopis, or girl friends of Krsna. In this way they attained the perfection of spiritual life.
The story of the sages of Dandakaranya can be explained as follows. When Lord Ramacandra was residing in Dandakaranya, the sages who were engaged in devotional service there became attracted by His beauty and immediately thought of the gopis at Vrndavana, who enjoyed conjugal loving affection with Krsna. In this instance it is clear that the sages of Dandakaranya desired conjugal love in the manner of the gopis, although they were well aware of the Supreme Lord as both Krsna and Lord Ramacandra. They knew that although Ramacandra was an ideal king and could not accept more than one wife, Lord Krsna, being the full-fledged Personality of Godhead, could fulfill the desires of all of them in Vrndavana. These sages also concluded that the form of Lord Krsna is more attractive than that of Lord Ramacandra, and so they prayed to become gopis in their future lives to be associated with Krsna.
Lord Ramacandra remained silent, and His silence shows that He accepted the prayers of the sages. Thus they were blessed by Lord Ramacandra to have association with Lord Krsna in their future lives. As a result of this benediction, they all took birth as women in the wombs of gopis at Gokula, and as they had desired in their previous lives, they enjoyed the company of Lord Krsna, who was present at that time in Gokula Vrndavana. The perfection of their human form of life was thus achieved by their generating a transcendental sentiment to share conjugal love with Lord Krsna.
Conjugal love is divided into two classifications--namely, conjugal love as husband and wife and conjugal love as lover and beloved. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as a wife is promoted to Dvaraka, where the devotee becomes the queen of the Lord. One who develops conjugal love for Krsna as a lover is promoted to Goloka Vrndavana, to associate with the gopis and enjoy loving affairs with Krsna there. We should note carefully, however, that this conjugal love for Krsna, either as gopi or as queen, is not limited only to women. Even men can develop such sentiments, as was evidenced by the sages of Dandakaranya. If someone simply desires conjugal love, but does not follow in the footsteps of the gopis, he is promoted to association with the Lord at Dvaraka.
In the Maha-kurma Purana it is stated, "Great sages who were the sons of fire-gods rigidly followed the regulative principles in their desire to have conjugal love for Krsna. As such, in their next lives they were able to associate with the Lord, the origin of all creation, who is known as Vasudeva, or Krsna, and all of them got Him as their husband."
Parenthood or Friendship
Devotees who are attracted to Krsna as parents or as friends should follow in the footsteps of Nanda Maharaja or Subala, respectively. Nanda Maharaja is the foster father of Krsna, and out of all of the friends of Krsna, Subala is the most intimate in Vrajabhumi.
In the development of becoming either the father or friend of the Lord, there are two varieties. One method is that one may try to become the father of the Lord directly, and the other is that one may follow Nanda Maharaja and cherish the ideal of being Krsna's father. Out of these two, the attempt to directly become the father of Krsna is not recommended. Such a development can become polluted with Mayavada (impersonal) philosophy. The Mayavadis, or monists, think that they themselves are Krsna, and if one thinks that he himself has become Nanda Maharaja, then his parental love will become contaminated with the Mayavada philosophy. The Mayavada philosophical way of thinking is offensive, and no offender can enter into the kingdom of God to associate with Krsna.
In the Skanda Purana there is a story of an old man residing in Hastinapura, capital of the kingdom of the Pandus, who desired Krsna as his beloved son. This old man was instructed by Narada to follow in the footsteps of Nanda Maharaja, and thus he achieved success.
There is a statement in the Narayana-vyuha-stava prayers that persons who are always engaged in thinking of the Lord as their husband, friend, father or well-wisher are always worshipable by everyone. This spontaneous love for Krsna can be developed only by the special mercy of Krsna or His pure devotee. This process of devotional service is sometimes called pusti-marga. Pusti means "nourishing," and marga means "path." Such development of sentiment nourishes devotional service to the highest standard. Thus it is called the path of nourishment, or pusti-marga. The Vallabha-sampradaya, which belongs to the Visnusvami sect of Vaisnava religion, worships Krsna in this pusti-marga. Generally devotees in Gujarat worship Bala Krsna, under this heading of pusti-marga.
Chapter Seventeen
Ecstatic Love
By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated onto the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one's heart becomes illuminated like the sun. The sun is far above the planetary systems, and there is no possibility of its being covered by any kind of cloud; similarly, when a devotee is purified like the sun, from his pure heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love which is more glorious than the sunshine. Only at that time is the attachment to Krsna perfect. Spontaneously, the devotee becomes eager to serve the Lord in his ecstatic love. At this stage the devotee is on the platform of uttama-adhikari, perfect devotion. Such a devotee has no agitation from material affections and is interested only in the service of Radha and Krsna.
To clarify, in the previous chapters the symptoms of devotional service were explained along with instructions as to how we may execute devotional service with our present senses and gradually rise to the platform of ecstasy in spontaneous love. And the two kinds of devotional service--namely devotional service through regulative principles and through spontaneous love--were discussed. Within the stage of the regulative principles of devotional service there are two divisions--namely executive and effective. This effective portion of devotional service is called bhava, or ecstasy. In this connection, there is a statement in the tantras that ecstasy is the first symptom of pure love for the Personality of Godhead, and in that stage one is sometimes found shedding tears or shivering. Not always are these symptoms manifest, but occasionally. When King Ambarisa was put into difficulty by Durvasa, he began to think of the lotus feet of the Lord, and thus there were some changes in his body, and tears were falling from his eyes. These symptoms are activities of ecstasy. They are visible in the shivering of the body and the shedding of tears. After the outward appearance of these ecstatic symptoms, they stay within the mind, and continuation of the ecstasy is called samadhi. This stage of appreciation becomes the cause of future exchanges of loving affairs with Krsna.
Elevation to this stage of ecstasy can be possible in two ways. One way is by constant association with pure devotees. The other way is by the special mercy of Krsna or by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krsna. Elevation to the ecstatic stage of life is generally attained through association with pure devotees, while elevation to that stage by the special mercy of Krsna or His devotee is very rare. The purport is that one should execute devotional service rigidly in the association of devotees so that there will be certainty in raising oneself to that ecstatic position. In special cases, of course, there is special favor from Krsna, and although we should always expect that, we should not sit idly and simply wait for Krsna's special mercy; the regular duties must be performed. It is just as when, sometimes, it is found that a person who never attended school or college may be recognized as a great scholar, or an honorary degree from great universities may be offered to him. But this does not mean that one should avoid school and expect to automatically receive an honorary degree from some university. Similarly, one should devoutly execute the regulative principles of devotional service and at the same time hope for Krsna's favor or for His devotee's favor.
An example of rising to the stage of ecstatic love by executing the regulative principles of devotional service is given in the life story of Narada, which is described to Vyasadeva in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Narada tells there of his previous life and how he developed to the stage of ecstatic love. He was engaged in the service of great devotees and used to hear their talks and songs. Because he had the opportunity to hear these pastimes and songs of Krsna from the mouths of pure devotees, he became very attracted within his heart. Because he had become so eager to hear these topics, he gradually developed within himself an ecstatic love for Krsna. This ecstatic love is prior to the pure love of Krsna, because in the next verse Narada confirms that by the gradual process of hearing from the great sages he developed love of Godhead. In that connection, Narada continues to say in the First Canto, Fifth Chapter, verse 28, of the Bhagavatam, "First I passed my days in the association of the great sages during the rainy autumn season. Every morning and evening I heard them while they were singing and chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, and thus my heart gradually became purified. As soon as I heard them with great attention, the influence of the modes of material ignorance and passion disappeared, and I became firmly fixed in devotional service to the Lord."
These are practical examples of how one can develop to the stage of ecstatic love simply by the association of pure devotees. It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic pure love for Krsna.
This statement is also confirmed in the Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, verse 25, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, where Lord Kapila says, "My dear mother, when a person is actually in association with pure devotees, the sublime potency of My devotional service can be experienced." In other words, when a pure devotee speaks, his words act upon the hearts of the audience. What is the secret of hearing and chanting? A professional speaker cannot impress transcendental ecstasy within the hearts of the listeners. However, when a realized soul who is engaged in the service of the Lord is speaking, he has the potency to inject spiritual life within the audience. One should, therefore, seek the association of such pure, unalloyed devotees, and by such association and service a neophyte devotee will certainly develop attachment, love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In the Padma Purana there is the story of a neophyte devotee who, in order to raise herself to the ecstatic platform, danced all night to invoke the Lord's grace upon her.
Sometimes, however, it is found that without undergoing any devotional process, one all of a sudden develops devotion for Lord Krsna. This sudden development of the devotional attitude in a person must be understood as a special mercy of Krsna or of His devotee. This apparently accidental development of ecstatic feelings through the causeless mercy of Krsna can be divided into three groups: simply by speaking, simply by glancing and simply by good wishes.
In the Naradiya Purana there is a statement about development of ecstatic love simply by speaking. Lord Krsna said to Narada, "O best of the brahmanas, I wish that you may develop unalloyed devotional service to Me, which is full of transcendental bliss and all auspiciousness."
In the Skanda Purana there is a statement about developing ecstatic love toward Krsna simply by glancing. It is stated there, "When the inhabitants of Jangala Province saw the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, they were so stricken with feeling that they could not withdraw their glance from Him."
As far as heartfelt wishes are concerned, there is a statement in the Suka-samhita where Narada tells Srila Vyasadeva, "You have a son who is the greatest devotee of the Personality of Godhead, and I can observe that without any following of the regulative principles of devotional service, he is already enriched with many of the symptoms achieved by the execution of devotional service after many, many births."
As for ecstatic love of Krsna, there is a statement in the Seventh Canto, Fourth Chapter, verse 36, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, in which Narada addresses King Yudhisthira, "My dear King, it is very difficult to describe the character of Prahlada. He developed a natural attraction for Krsna, and whatever I can explain about his character will simply be an arrangement of words; his actual character is impossible to describe." This means that Narada himself admitted that the natural development of Prahlada's ecstatic love was by the grace of Lord Krsna.
This natural attraction for Krsna on the part of Prahlada was developed simply by the mercy of Narada. When Prahlada Maharaja was within the womb of his mother, she was being sympathetically instructed by Narada about the science of devotional service, and at the same time Narada was wishing that the child within the womb could also take advantage of the instructions. Because Narada, an authorized devotee and great associate of the Personality of Godhead, was desiring auspiciousness for Prahlada Maharaja, he developed all the characteristics of a high-grade devotee. This is called natural attraction. It is caused by the special grace of the Personality of Godhead or by the special grace of a great devotee like Narada.
There is a statement in the Skanda Purana wherein Parvata Muni tells Narada, "My dear Narada, of all saintly persons you are so great and glorious that simply by your good wishes a lowborn hunter also has become a great, elevated devotee of Lord Krsna."
This ecstatic love for Krsna can be divided into five divisions, which will be described by Sri Rupa Gosvami later on.
Chapter Eighteen
Character of One in Ecstatic Love
Rupa Gosvami next describes the characteristics of a person who has actually developed his ecstatic love for Krsna. The characteristics are as follows:
(1) He is always anxious to utilize his time in the devotional service of the Lord. He does not like to be idle. He wants service always, twenty-four hours a day, without deviation.
(2) He is always reserved and perseverant.
(3) He is always detached from all material attraction.
(4) He does not long for any material respect in return for his activities.
(5) He is always certain that Krsna will bestow His mercy upon him.
(6) He is always very eager to serve the Lord faithfully.
(7) He is very much attached to the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.
(8) He is always eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
(9) He is very pleased to live in a place where the Lord's pastimes are performed, e.g., Mathura, Vrndavana or Dvaraka.
Utilization of Time
An unalloyed devotee who has developed ecstatic love for Krsna is always engaging his words in reciting prayers to the Lord. Within the mind he is always thinking of Krsna, and with his body he either offers obeisances by bowing down before the Deity or engages in some other service. During these ecstatic activities he sometimes sheds tears. In this way his whole life is engaged in the service of the Lord, with not a moment wasted on any other engagement.
Perseverance
When a person is undisturbed even in the presence of various causes of disturbance, he is called reserved and perseverant. An example of this perseverance and reservation is found in the behavior of King Pariksit, as described in the First Canto, Nineteenth Chapter, verse 15, of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The King says there to all the sages present before him at the time of his death, "My dear brahmanas, you should always accept me as your surrendered servant. I have come to the bank of the Ganges just to devote my heart and soul unto the lotus feet of Lord Krsna. So please bless me, that mother Ganges may also be pleased with me. Let the curse of the brahmana's son fall upon me--I do not mind. I only request that at the last moment of my life all of you will kindly chant the holy name of Visnu, so that I may realize His transcendental qualities."
This example of Maharaja Pariksit's behavior, his remaining patient even at the last point of his life, his undisturbed condition of mind, is an example of reservation. This is one of the characteristics of a devotee who has developed ecstatic love for Krsna.
Detachment
The senses are always desiring sense enjoyment, but when a devotee develops transcendental love for Krsna his senses are no longer attracted by material desires. This state of mind is called detachment. There is a nice example of this detachment in connection with the character of King Bharata. In the Fifth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 43, of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated, "Emperor Bharata was so attracted by the beauty of the lotus feet of Krsna that even in his youthful life he gave up all kinds of attachments to family, children, friends, kingdom, etc., as though they were untouchable stools."
Emperor Bharata provides a typical example of detachment. He had everything enjoyable in the material world, but he left it. This means that detachment does not mean artificially keeping oneself aloof and apart from the allurements of attachment. Even in the presence of such allurements, if one can remain unattracted by material attachments, he is called detached. In the beginning, of course, a neophyte devotee must try to keep himself apart from all kinds of alluring attachments, but the real position of a mature devotee is that even in the presence of all allurements, he is not at all attracted. This is the actual criterion of detachment.
Pridelessness
When a devotee, in spite of possessing all the qualities of pure realization, is not proud of his position, he is called prideless. In the Padma Purana it is stated that King Bhagiratha was the emperor above all other kings, yet he developed such ecstatic love for Krsna that he became a mendicant and went out begging even to the homes of his political enemies and untouchables. He was so humble that he respectfully bowed down before them.
There are many similar instances in the history of India. Even very recently, about two hundred years ago or less, one big landlord known as Lal Babu, a Calcutta landholder, became a Vaisnava and lived in Vrndavana. He was also begging from door to door, even at the homes of his political enemies. Begging involves being ready to be insulted by persons to whose home one has come. That is natural. But one has to tolerate such insults for the sake of Krsna. The devotee of Krsna can accept any position in the service of Krsna.
Great Hope
The strong conviction that one will certainly receive the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called in Sanskrit asa-bandha. Asa-bandha means to continue to think, "Because I'm trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, I am sure that I will go back to Godhead, back to home."
In this connection, one prayer by Rupa Gosvami is sufficient to exemplify this hopefulness. He says, "I have no love for Krsna, nor for the causes of developing love of Krsna--namely, hearing and chanting. And the process of bhakti-yoga, by which one is always thinking of Krsna and fixing His lotus feet in the heart, is also lacking in me. As far as philosophical knowledge or pious works are concerned, I don't see any opportunity for me to execute such activities. But above all, I am not even born of a nice family. Therefore I must simply pray to You, Gopijana-vallabha [Krsna, maintainer and beloved of the gopis]. I simply wish and hope that some way or other I may be able to approach Your lotus feet, and this hope is giving me pain, because I think myself quite incompetent to approach that transcendental goal of life." The purport is that under this heading of asa-bandha, one should continue to hope against hope that some way or other he will be able to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
Eagerness for Achieving the Desired Success
When one is sufficiently eager to achieve success in devotional service, that eagerness is called samutkantha. This means "complete eagerness." Actually this eagerness is the price for achieving success in Krsna consciousness. Everything has some value, and one has to pay the value before obtaining or possessing it. It is stated in the Vedic literature that to purchase the most valuable thing, Krsna consciousness, one has to develop intense eagerness for achieving success. This intense eagerness is very nicely expressed by Bilvamangala Thakura in his book Krsna-karnamrta. He says, "I am eagerly waiting to see that boy of Vrndavana whose bodily beauty is captivating the whole universe, whose eyes are always bounded by black eyebrows and expanded like lotus petals, and who is always eagerly glancing over His devotees and therefore moving slightly here and there. His eyes are always moist, His lips are colored like copper, and through those lips there comes a sound vibration which drives one madder than a mad elephant. I want so much to see Him at Vrndavana!"
Attachment to Chanting the Holy Names of the Lord
In the same Krsna-karnamrta there is another statement, about the chanting of Radharani. It is said by one of the associates of Radharani, "O Lord Govinda, the girl who is the daughter of King Vrsabhanu is now shedding tears, and She is anxiously chanting Your holy name--'Krsna! Krsna!' "
Eagerness to Describe the Lord's Transcendental Qualities
Attachment for chanting the glories of the Lord is also expressed in the Krsna-karnamrta as follows: "What shall I do for Krsna, who is pleasing beyond all pleasurable conceptions, and who is naughtier than all restless boys? The idea of Krsna's beautiful activities is attracting my heart, and I do not know what I can do!"
Attraction for Living in a Place Where Krsna Has His Pastimes
In the book Padyavali by Rupa Gosvami there is the following statement about Vrndavana: "In this place the son of Maharaja Nanda used to live with His father, who was king of all cowherd men. In this place Lord Krsna broke the cart in which the Sakatasura demon was concealed. At this place Damodara, who can cut the knot of our material existence, was tied up by His mother, Yasoda."
A pure devotee of Lord Krsna resides in the district of Mathura or Vrndavana and visits all the places where Krsna's pastimes were performed. At these sacred places Krsna displayed His childhood activities with the cowherd boys and mother Yasoda. The system of circumambulating all these places is still current among devotees of Lord Krsna, and those coming to Mathura and Vrndavana always feel transcendental pleasure. Actually, if someone goes to Vrndavana, he will immediately feel separation from Krsna, who performed such nice activities when He was present there.
Such attraction for remembering Krsna's activities is known as attachment for Krsna. There are impersonalist philosophers and mystics, however, who by a show of devotional service want ultimately to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord. They sometimes try to imitate a pure devotee's sentiment for visiting the holy places where Krsna had His pastimes, but they simply have a view for salvation, and so their activities cannot be considered attachment.
It is said by Rupa Gosvami that the attachment exhibited by pure devotees for Krsna cannot possibly be perfected in the hearts of fruitive workers (karmis) or mental speculators, because such attachment in pure Krsna consciousness is very rare and not possible to achieve even for many liberated persons. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, liberation from material contamination is the stage at which devotional service can be achieved. For a person who simply wants to have liberation and to merge into the impersonal brahmajyoti, attachment to Krsna is not possible to acquire. This attachment is very confidentially kept by Krsna and is bestowed only upon pure devotees. Even ordinary devotees cannot have such pure attachment for Krsna. Therefore, how is it possible for success to be achieved by persons whose hearts are contaminated by the actions and reactions of fruitive activities and who are entangled by various types of mental speculation?
There are many so-called devotees who artificially think of Krsna's pastimes known as asta-kaliya-lila. Sometimes one may artificially imitate these, pretending that Krsna is talking with him in the form of a boy, or else one may pretend that Radharani and Krsna both have come to him and are talking with him. Such characteristics are sometimes exhibited by the impersonalist class of men, and they may captivate some innocent persons who have no knowledge in the science of devotional service. However, as soon as an experienced devotee sees all of these caricatures, he can immediately evaluate such rascaldom. If such a pretender is sometimes seen possessing imitative attachment to Krsna, that will not be accepted as real attachment. It may be said, however, that such attachment gives the pretender hope that he may eventually rise onto the actual platform of pure devotional service.
This imitative attachment can be divided into two headings--namely, shadow attachment and para (transcendental) attachment. If someone, without undergoing the regulative principles of devotional service or without being guided by a bona fide spiritual master, shows such imitative attachment, this is called shadow attachment. Sometimes it is found that a person actually attached to material enjoyment or salvation has the good fortune to associate with pure devotees while they are engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord. By the good grace of the Lord one may also cooperate and join in the chanting. At that time, simply by the association of such pure devotees, the moonlike rays from their hearts reflect on him, and by the influence of the pure devotees he may show some likeness of attachment caused by inquisitiveness, but this is very flickering. And if by the manifestation of such shadow attachment one feels the disappearance of all material pangs, then it is called para attachment.
Such shadow attachment or para attachment can develop if one associates with a pure devotee or visits holy places like Vrndavana or Mathura, and if an ordinary man develops such attachment for Krsna and fortunately performs devotional activities in the association of pure devotees, he can also rise to the platform of pure devotional service. The conclusion is that transcendental attachment is so powerful that if such attachment is seen manifested even in some common man, by the association of a pure devotee it can bring one to the perfectional stage. But such attachment for Krsna cannot be invoked in a person without his being sufficiently blessed by the association of pure devotees.
As attachment can be invoked by the association of pure devotees, so attachment can also be extinguished by offenses committed at the lotus feet of pure devotees. To be more clear, by the association of pure devotees attachment for Krsna can be aroused, but if one commits offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee, one's shadow attachment or para attachment can be extinguished. This extinguishing is like the waning of the full moon, which gradually decreases and at last becomes dark. One should therefore be very careful while associating with pure devotees to guard against committing an offense at their lotus feet.
Transcendental attachment, either shadow or para, can be nullified by different degrees of offenses at the lotus feet of pure devotees. If the offense is very serious, then one's attachment becomes almost nil, and if the offense is not very serious, one's attachment can become second class or third class.
If someone becomes attached to the principles of salvation or to merging into the existence of the brahmajyoti, his ecstasies gradually diminish into shadow and para attachment or else transform into the principles of ahangrahopasana. This ahangrahopasana describes a living entity when he begins spiritual realization by identifying himself with the Supreme Lord. This state of self-realization is technically known as monism. The monist thinks himself one with the Supreme Lord. Thus, because he does not differentiate between himself and the Supreme Lord, it is his view that by worshiping himself he is worshiping the supreme whole.
Sometimes it is found that a neophyte is taking part in chanting and dancing very enthusiastically, but within himself he is under the impression that he has become one with the supreme whole. This conception of monism is completely different from pure, transcendental devotional service. If, however, it is seen that a person has developed a high standard of devotion without having undergone even the regulative principles, it is to be understood that his status of devotional service was achieved in a former life. For some reason or another it had been temporarily stopped, most probably by an offense committed at the lotus feet of a devotee. Now, with a good second chance, it has again begun to develop. The conclusion is that steady progress in devotional service can be attained only in the association of pure devotees.
If one can gradually advance his status in devotional service, this is understood to be due to the causeless mercy of Krsna Himself. If a person is completely detached from material enjoyment and has developed pure ecstatic devotion, even if he is sometimes accidentally found not living up to the standard of devotional service, one should not be envious of him. It is confirmed also in Bhagavad-gita that a devotee who has unflinching faith in and devotion to the Lord, even if sometimes found to be accidentally deviated from pure devotional characteristics, should still be counted among the pure. Unflinching faith in devotional service, in Lord Krsna and in the spiritual master makes one highly elevated in the activities of devotional service.
In the Nrsimha Purana it is stated, "If a person has completely engaged his mind, body and activities in the service of the Supreme Godhead, but externally he is found to be engaged in some abominable activities, these abominable activities will surely be very quickly vanquished by the influence of his staunch devotional force." The example is given that on the full moon there are some spots which may appear to be pockmarks. Still, the illumination spread by the full moon cannot be checked. Similarly, a little fault in the midst of volumes of devotional service is not at all to be counted as a fault. Attachment for Krsna is transcendental bliss. Amid unlimited volumes of transcendental bliss, a spot of some material defect cannot act in any way.
Chapter Nineteen
Devotional Service in Pure Love of God
When one's desire to love Krsna in one's particular relationship becomes intensified, this is known as pure love of Godhead. In the beginning a devotee is engaged in the regulative principles of devotional service by the order of his spiritual master. When one thereby becomes completely purified of all material contamination, there develop an attachment and taste for devotional service. This taste and attachment, when gradually intensified in the course of time, become love. The word love can be actually applied only in relationship with the Personality of Godhead. In the material world, love is not applicable at all. What goes on under the name of love in the material world is nothing but lust. There is a gulf of difference between love and lust, like the difference between gold and iron. In the Narada-pancaratra it is clearly stated that when lust is completely transferred to the Supreme Godhead and the concept of kinship is completely reposed in Him, such is accepted as pure love of God by great authorities like Bhisma, Prahlada, Uddhava and Narada.
Great authorities like Bhisma have explained that love of Godhead means completely giving up all so-called love for any other person. According to Bhisma, love means reposing one's affection completely upon one person, withdrawing all affinities for any other person. This pure love can be transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead under two conditions--out of ecstasy and out of the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.
Ecstasy
Ecstatic love of Godhead can be potently invoked simply by following the rules and regulations of devotional service as they are prescribed in scriptures, under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. In the Eleventh Canto, Second Chapter, verse 40, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, this ecstatic love, born of the execution of regulative devotional service, is explained: "A devotee, in the course of executing the regulative principles of devotional service, develops his natural Krsna consciousness, and being thus softened at heart he chants and dances like a madman. While performing chanting of the holy name of the Lord, he sometimes cries, sometimes talks wildly, sometimes sings and sometimes--without caring for any outsider--dances like a madman."
In the Padma Purana there is a statement about ecstatic love born of spontaneous affection. Candrakanti, a celebrated fair-faced girl, rigidly observed celibacy in order to obtain Krsna as her husband. She always engaged herself in meditating on the transcendental form of the Lord and always chanted the glories of the Lord. She did not desire to accept anyone else as her husband. She had firmly decided that only Lord Krsna would be her husband.
The Lord's Extraordinary Mercy
When a devotee is found to be always associated with the Lord in ecstatic love, it is to be understood that such a position has been awarded by the Lord Himself out of His causeless extraordinary mercy. An example of such extraordinary mercy is given in the Eleventh Canto, Twelfth Chapter, verse 7, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein Lord Krsna tells Uddhava, "The gopis in Vrndavana did not study the Vedas to achieve Me. Nor had they ever been in holy places of pilgrimage. Nor did they devoutly execute any regulative principle. Nor did they undergo any kind of austerity. It is simply by My association that they have attained the highest perfection of devotional service."
From the example of Candrakanti as found in the Padma Purana and from the example of the gopis as found in Srimad-Bhagavatam, it appears that a devotee who always thinks of Krsna and who always chants His glories in ecstatic love, regardless of his condition, will attain the highest perfection of unalloyed devotional love due to Lord Krsna's extraordinary mercy. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam: "If a person worships, adores and loves Hari, the Supreme Lord, he should be understood to have finished all kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for self-realization. On the other hand, if after undergoing all types of austerities, penances and mystic yoga practices one does not develop such love for Hari, then all his performances are to be considered a useless waste of time. If someone always sees Krsna inside and out, then it is to be understood that he has surpassed all austerities and penances for self-realization. And if, after executing all kinds of penances and austerities, one cannot always see Krsna inside and out, then he has executed his performances uselessly."
Spontaneous attraction to Krsna, which is said to be due to the extraordinary mercy of the Lord, can be placed under two headings: one is profound veneration for the greatness of the Lord, and the other is one's being automatically attracted to Krsna without any extraneous consideration. In the Narada-pancaratra it is said that if on account of profound veneration for the greatness of the Supreme Lord one attains a great affection and steady love for Him, one is certainly assured of attaining the four kinds of Vaisnava liberation--namely achieving the same bodily features as the Lord, achieving the same opulence as the Lord, dwelling on the planet where the Lord is residing, and attaining eternal association with the Lord. The Vaisnava liberation is completely different from the Mayavada liberation, which is simply a matter of being merged into the effulgence of the Lord.
In the Narada-pancaratra pure, unalloyed devotional service is explained as being without any motive for personal benefit. If a devotee is continuously in love with Lord Krsna and his mind is always fixed upon Him, that devotional attitude will prove to be the only means of attracting the attention of the Lord. In other words, a Vaisnava who is incessantly thinking of the form of Lord Krsna is to be known as a pure Vaisnava.
Generally, a devotee who has achieved the causeless mercy of the Lord on account of following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service becomes attracted by the supreme greatness of the Lord, by the transcendental beauty of the Lord and by the spontaneous execution of devotional service. To be more clear, by executing the regulative principles of devotional service one can fully appreciate the transcendental beauty of the Lord. In any case, such exalted positions are possible only by the extraordinary mercy of the Lord upon the devotee.
Association with Pure Devotees
Although many different processes for developing love of Godhead have been explained so far, Srila Rupa Gosvami now gives us a general description of how one can best achieve such a high position. The beginning of ecstatic love of Godhead is basically faith. There are many societies and associations of pure devotees, and if someone with just a little faith begins to associate with such societies, his advancement to pure devotional service is rapid. The influence of a pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, one gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Thus, by the mercy of the Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, one gradually develops his faith in the descriptions of such authoritative scriptures. This is the first stage of association with pure devotees. In the second stage, after one becomes a little advanced and mature, he automatically offers to follow the principles of devotional service under the guidance of the pure devotee and accepts him as the spiritual master. In the next stage, under the guidance of the spiritual master, the devotee executes regulative devotional service, and as a result of such activities, he becomes freed from all unwanted occupations. When he is freed from unwanted occupations, his faith becomes steadily fixed, and he develops a transcendental taste for devotional service, then attachment, then ecstasies, and in the last stage there is pure love of Godhead. These are the different stages of the development of pure love.
Only the most fortunate persons can achieve such success in life. Those who are simply academic students of the Vedic scriptures cannot appreciate how such a development takes place. In the Narada-pancaratra Lord Siva therefore tells Parvati, "My dear supreme goddess, you may know from me that any person who has developed the ecstasy of love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who is always merged in transcendental bliss on account of this love, cannot even perceive the material distress or happiness coming from the body or mind."
The affection and the dealings of love that are different branches of the original tree of love precede many varieties of affectionate manifestations that will not be discussed here. These different manifestations have been described by Sanatana Gosvami in his Bhagavatamrta. Although the subject of such affections and dealings of love is very confidential, Sanatana Gosvami has described them very explicitly.
Sri Rupa Gosvami thus concludes the first division of the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, offering up his treatise for the transcendental pleasure of Sanatana Gosvami, who has established the transcendental beauty, and of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami and Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. It appears from this statement that the great Srila Jiva Gosvami was not yet active when Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu was written.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta summary study of the first division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, up to the descriptions of ecstatic love of Godhead, which are to follow next.
Chapter Twenty
Transcendental Mellow
In this second division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu the author offers his respectful obeisances unto "Sanatana." This Sanatana can be interpreted as either Sri Krsna Himself or as Sanatana Gosvami, the elder brother and spiritual master of Rupa Gosvami. In the case where "Sanatana" is accepted to mean Sri Krsna, the obeisances are offered to Krsna because He is naturally so beautiful and because He is the killer of the demon Agha. If it is interpreted to mean Sanatana Gosvami, then it is because he is so greatly favored by Rupa Gosvami, being always served by him, and because he is the annihilator of all kinds of sinful activities. In this division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu the author wants to describe the general symptoms of the transcendental mellow (loving mood) of discharging devotional service.
In this division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu there are five general topics: (1) vibhava--special symptoms or causes of ecstasy, (2) anubhava--subsequent ecstasy, (3) sattvika-bhava--constitutional or existential ecstasy, (4) vyabhicari-bhava--aggressive ecstasy and (5) sthayi-bhava--fervent or continuous ecstasy.
The word rasa, used in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, is understood by different persons differently because the exact English equivalent is very difficult to find. But as we have seen our spiritual master translate this word rasa into "mellow," we shall follow in his footsteps and also translate the word in that way.
The particular loving mood or attitude relished in the exchange of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called rasa, or mellow. The different types of rasa, when combined together, help one to taste the mellow of devotional service in the highest degree of transcendental ecstasy. Such a position, although entirely transcendental to our experience, will be explained in this section as far as possible, following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Without relishing some sort of mellow, or loving mood, in one's activities, no one can continue to perform such activities. Similarly, in the transcendental life of Krsna consciousness and devotional service there must be some mellow, or specific taste, from the service. Generally this mellow is experienced by chanting, hearing, worshiping in the temple and being engaged in the service of the Lord. So when a person feels transcendental bliss; that is called "relishing the mellow." To be more clear, we may understand that the various feelings of happiness derived from discharging devotional service may be termed the "mellows" of devotional service.
This relishing of transcendental mellow in discharging devotional service cannot be experienced by all classes of men, because this sweet loving mood is developed only from one's previous life's activities or by the association of unalloyed devotees. As explained above, association with pure devotees is the beginning of faith in devotional service. Only by developing such faith in the association of a pure devotee, or by having in one's previous life executed devotional activities, can one actually relish the mellow of devotional service. In other words, this transcendental bliss is not to be enjoyed by any common man unless he is so extraordinarily fortunate as to be in association with devotees or to be continuing his previous birth's devotional activities.
The gradual process of development to the stage of devotional service is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto: "The beginning is to hear about Lord Krsna in the association of devotees who have themselves cleansed their hearts by association. Hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord will result in one's feeling transcendental bliss always." It is also explained in Bhagavad-gita that for one who has actually come to the spiritual platform, the first symptom visible will be that he is always joyful. This joyous life is attained by one's reaction to reading Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, or else from associating with persons who are very interested in the spiritual life of Krsna consciousness--specifically those who have made the determination to achieve the favor of Govinda by being engaged in transcendental loving service at His lotus feet. Being encouraged by such a feeling, one who is constantly engaged in discharging the regulative principles of devotional service in such a way as to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead develops two principles of compelling force, which come under the heading of vibhava. Thus one enjoys transcendental bliss.
There are several origins or causes for this compulsive love of Krsna, such as Krsna Himself, the devotees of Krsna, and Krsna's playing on the flute. The effect is sometimes loving and sometimes stunted.
There are eight transcendental symptoms found in the body during ecstasy, and all of them are possible only by a mixture of the above-mentioned five ecstatic divisions. Without some mixture of these five ecstatic principles, one cannot relish transcendental bliss. The cause or basis for relishing transcendental mellow is exactly what we mean by vibhava. This vibhava is divided into two--namely, basic and impelling, or impetus-giving. In the Agni Purana the description of vibhava is given as follows: "The basis from which ecstatic love is born is called vibhava, which is divided into two--basic and impelling." In other words, there are two kinds of ecstatic love. The object of basic ecstatic love is Krsna and His devotee. Lord Krsna is the object of basic ecstatic love, and His pure devotee, a reservoir of such love, is the object of impelling ecstatic love. Impelling ecstatic love, then, is that love which develops when one sees an object which reminds him of Krsna.
Lord Krsna, who is the possessor of inconceivable potencies and qualities of transcendental knowledge and bliss, is the basic cause of ecstatic love. Lord Krsna also becomes the reservoir (impetus) of ecstatic love by His different incarnations and expansions. In Srimad-Bhagavatam there is a statement in connection with the brahma-vimohana-lila which demonstrates something of this impelling or impetus-giving feature of ecstatic love. When Brahma was deluded by Krsna, who expanded Himself into so many cowherd boys, calves and cows, Krsna's elder brother, Sri Baladeva (a direct expansion of Krsna Himself), felt astonishment and said, "How wonderful it is that My ecstatic love for Krsna is again being attracted to so many cowherd boys, calves and cows!" He was struck with wonder by thinking in this way. This is one of the examples in which Krsna Himself becomes the object and reservoir of ecstatic love in the impelling aspect.
Chapter Twenty-one
Qualities of Sri Krsna
Personal features can be divided into two: one feature is covered, and the other feature is manifested. When Krsna is covered by different kinds of dress, His personal feature is covered. There is an example of His covered personal feature in Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with His dvaraka-lila (His residence in Dvaraka as its king). Sometimes Lord Krsna began to play by dressing Himself like a woman. Seeing this form, Uddhava said, "How wonderful it is that this woman is attracting my ecstatic love exactly as Lord Krsna does. I think she must be Krsna covered by the dress of a woman!"
One devotee praised the bodily features of Krsna when he saw the Lord in His manifested personal feature. He exclaimed, "How wonderful is the personal feature of Lord Krsna! How His neck is just like a conchshell! His eyes are so beautiful, as though they themselves were encountering the beauty of a lotus flower. His body is just like the tamala tree, very blackish. His head is protected with a canopy of hair. There are the marks of Srivatsa on His chest, and He is holding His conchshell. By such beautiful bodily features, the enemy of the demon Madhu has appeared so pleasing that He can bestow upon me transcendental bliss simply by my seeing His transcendental qualities."
Srila Rupa Gosvami, after consulting various scriptures, has enumerated the transcendental qualities of the Lord as follows: (1) beautiful features of the entire body; (2) marked with all auspicious characteristics; (3) extremely pleasing; (4) effulgent; (5) strong; (6) ever youthful; (7) wonderful linguist; (8) truthful; (9) talks pleasingly; (10) fluent; (11) highly learned; (12) highly intelligent; (13) a genius; (14) artistic; (15) extremely clever; (16) expert; (17) grateful; (18) firmly determined; (19) an expert judge of time and circumstances; (20) sees and speaks on the authority of Vedas, or scriptures; (21) pure; (22) self-controlled; (23) steadfast; (24) forbearing; (25) forgiving; (26) grave; (27) self-satisfied; (28) possessing equilibrium; (29) magnanimous; (30) religious; (31) heroic; (32) compassionate; (33) respectful; (34) gentle; (35) liberal; (36) shy; (37) the protector of surrendered souls; (38) happy; (39) the well-wisher of devotees; (40) controlled by love; (41) all-auspicious; (42) most powerful; (43) all-famous; (44) popular; (45) partial to devotees; (46) very attractive to all women; (47) all-worshipable; (48) all-opulent; (49) all-honorable; (50) the supreme controller. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all these fifty transcendental qualities in fullness as deep as the ocean. In other words, the extent of His qualities is inconceivable.
As parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, the individual living entities can also possess all of these qualities in minute quantities, provided they become pure devotees of the Lord. In other words, all of the above transcendental qualities can be present in the devotees in minute quantity, whereas the qualities in fullness are always present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Besides these, there are other transcendental qualities which are described by Lord Siva to Parvati in the Padma Purana, and in the First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with a conversation between the deity of the earth and the King of religion, Yamaraja. It is said therein, "Persons Who who are desirous of becoming great personalities must be decorated with the following qualities: truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, perseverance, renunciation, peacefulness, simplicity, control of the senses, equilibrium of the mind, austerity, equality, forbearance, placidity, learning, knowledge, detachment, opulence, chivalry, influence, strength, memory, independence, tactfulness, luster, patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, gentility, mannerliness, determination, perfection in all knowledge, proper execution, possession of all objects of enjoyment, gravity, steadiness, faithfulness, fame, respectfulness and lack of false egotism." Persons who are desiring to become great souls cannot be without any of the above qualities, so we can know for certain that these qualities are found in Lord Krsna, the supreme soul.
Besides all of the above-mentioned fifty qualities, Lord Krsna possesses five more, which are sometimes partially manifested in the persons of Lord Brahma or Lord Siva. These transcendental qualities are as follows: (51) changeless; (52) all-cognizant; (53) ever fresh; (54) sac-cid-ananda (possessing an eternal blissful body); (55) possessing all mystic perfections.
Krsna also possesses five other qualities, which are manifest in the body of Narayana, and they are listed as follows. (56) He has inconceivable potency. (57) Uncountable universes generate from His body. (58) He is the original source of all incarnations. (59) He is the giver of salvation to the enemies whom He kills. (60) He is the attractor of liberated souls. All these transcendental qualities are manifest wonderfully in the personal feature of Lord Krsna.
Besides these sixty transcendental qualities, Krsna has four more, which are not manifest even in the Narayana form of Godhead, what to speak of the demigods or living entities. They are as follows. (61) He is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood pastimes). (62) He is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead. (63) He can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute. (64) He has a wonderful excellence of beauty which cannot be rivaled anywhere in the creation.
Adding to the list these four exceptional qualities of Krsna, it is to be understood that the aggregate number of qualities of Krsna is sixty-four. Srila Rupa Gosvami has attempted to give evidences from various scriptures about all sixty-four qualities present in the person of the Supreme Lord.
1. Beautiful Bodily Features
Any comparison of the different parts of the Lord's body to different material objects cannot factually be a complete comparison. Ordinary persons, who cannot understand how exalted are the bodily features of the Lord, are simply given a chance to understand by a material comparison. It is said that Krsna's face is as beautiful as the moon, His thighs are powerful just like the trunks of elephants, His arms are just like two pillars, His palms are expanded like lotus flowers, His chest is just like a doorway, His hips are dens, and the middle of His body is a terrace.
2. Auspicious Characteristics
There are certain characteristics of different limbs which are considered to be very auspicious and are fully present in the body of the Lord. In this connection, one friend of Nanda Maharaja, speaking about Lord Krsna's auspicious bodily symptoms, said, "My dear King of the cowherds, I can find thirty-two auspicious symptoms on the body of your son! I am wondering how this boy could have taken His birth in a family of cowherd men." Generally, when Lord Krsna appears He does so in a family of ksatriyas (kings), as did Lord Ramacandra, and sometimes in a family of brahmanas. But Krsna accepted the role of son to Maharaja Nanda, despite the fact that Nanda belonged to the vaisya community. The business of the vaisya community is trade, commerce and the protection of cows. Therefore his friend, who may have been born into a brahmana family, expressed his wonder at how such an exalted child could take birth in a family of vaisyas. Anyway, he pointed out the auspicious signs on the body of Krsna to the boy's foster father.
He continued, "This boy has a reddish luster in seven places--His eyes, the ends of His hands, the ends of His legs, His palate, His lips, His tongue and His nails. A reddish luster in these seven places is considered to be auspicious. Three parts of His body are very broad: His waist, forehead and chest. Three parts of His body are short: His neck, thighs and genitals. Three parts of His body are very deep: His voice, intelligence and navel. There is highness in five parts of His body: His nose, arms, ears, forehead and thighs. In five parts of His body there is fineness: His skin, the hairs on His head and on the other parts of His body, His teeth and His fingertips. The aggregate of all these bodily features is manifest only in the bodies of great personalities."
The fate lines on the palm are also considered to be auspicious bodily symptoms. In this connection, one old gopi informed King Nanda, "Your son possesses various wonderful fate lines on His palms. There are the signs of lotus flowers and wheels on His palms, and on His soles there are the signs of a flag, a thunderbolt, a fish, a rod for controlling elephants, and a lotus flower. Please observe how auspicious these signs are!"
3. Pleasing
Beautiful bodily features which automatically attract the eyes are called rucira (pleasing). Krsna possesses this attractive feature of rucira in His personal features. In the Third Canto, Second Chapter, verse 13, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a statement about this. "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His pleasing dress, appeared at the scene of the sacrificial arena when King Yudhisthira was performing the Rajasuya sacrifice. All important personalities from different parts of the universe had been invited to the sacrificial arena, and all of them, upon beholding Krsna there, considered that the Creator had ended all of His craftsmanship in the creation of this particular body of Krsna."
It is said that the transcendental body of Krsna resembles the lotus flower in eight parts--namely His face, His two eyes, His two hands, His navel and His two feet. The gopis and inhabitants of Vrndavana used to see the luster of lotus flowers everywhere, and they could hardly withdraw their eyes from such a vision.
4. Effulgent
The effulgence pervading the universe is considered to be the rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The supreme abode of Krsna is always throwing off the effulgence known as brahmajyoti, and that effulgence is emanating from His body.
The luster of the hosts of jewels fixed on the chest of the Lord can defeat even the luster of the sun, and still, when compared with the bodily luster of the Lord, that crest of jewels appears to be only as bright as one of the stars in the sky. Therefore the transcendental influence of Krsna is so great that it can defeat anyone. When Krsna was present in the sacrificial arena of His enemy King Kamsa, the wrestlers present, although appreciating the softness of the body of Sri Krsna, were afraid and perturbed when they thought of engaging with Him in battle.
5. Strong
A person who has extraordinary bodily strength is called baliyan. When Krsna killed Aristasura, some of the gopis said, "My dear friends, just see how Krsna has killed Aristasura! Although be was stronger than a mountain, Krsna plucked him up just like a piece of cotton and threw him away without any difficulty!" There is another passage wherein it is said, "O my dear devotees of Lord Krsna, may the left hand of Lord Krsna, which has lifted Govardhana Hill like a ball, save you from all dangers."
6. Ever Youthful
Krsna is beautiful at His different ages--namely His childhood, His boyhood and His youth. Out of these three, His youth is the reservoir of all pleasures and is the time when the highest varieties of devotional service are acceptable. At that age, Krsna is full with all transcendental qualities and is engaged in His transcendental pastimes. Therefore, devotees have accepted the beginning of His youth as the most attractive feature in ecstatic love.
At this age Krsna is described as follows: "The force of Krsna's youth was combined with His beautiful smile, which defeated even the beauty of the full moon. He was always nicely dressed, in beauty surpassing even Cupid, and He was always attracting the minds of the gopis, who were thereby always feeling pleasure."
7. Wonderful Linguist
Rupa Gosvami says that a person who knows the languages of different countries, especially the Sanskrit language, which is spoken in the cities of the demigods--as well as other worldly languages, including those of the animals--is called a wonderful linguist. It appears from this statement that Krsna can also speak and understand the languages of the animals. An old woman in Vrndavana, present at the time of Krsna's pastimes, once stated in surprise, "How wonderful it is that Krsna, who owns the hearts of all the young girls of Vrajabhumi, can nicely speak the language of Vrajabhumi with the gopis, while in Sanskrit He speaks with the demigods, and in the language of the animals He can even speak with the cows and buffalo! Similarly, in the language of the Kashmir Province, and with the parrots and other birds, as well as in most common languages, Krsna is so expressive!" She inquired from the gopis as to how Krsna had become so expert in speaking so many different types of languages.
8. Truthful
A person whose word of honor is never broken is called truthful. Krsna once promised Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, that He would bring her five sons back from the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. After the battle was finished, when all the Pandavas had come home, Kunti praised Krsna because His promise was so nicely fulfilled. She said, "Even the sunshine may one day become cool and the moonshine one day become hot, but still Your promise will not fail." Similarly, when Krsna, along with Bhima and Arjuna, went to challenge Jarasandha, He plainly told Jarasandha that He was the eternal Krsna, present along with two of the Pandavas. The story is that both Krsna and the Pandavas--in this case Bhima and Arjuna--were ksatriyas (warrior-kings). Jarasandha was also a ksatriya and was very charitable toward the brahmanas. Thus Krsna, who had planned to fight with Jarasandha, went to him with Bhima and Arjuna in the dress of brahmanas. Jarasandha, being very charitable toward the brahmanas, asked them what they wanted, and they expressed their desire to fight with him. Then Krsna, dressed as a brahmana, declared Himself to be the same Krsna who was the King's eternal enemy.
9. Pleasing Talker
A person who can speak sweetly even with his enemy just to pacify him is called a pleasing talker. Krsna was such a pleasing talker that after defeating His enemy Kaliya in the water of the Yamuna, He said, "My dear King of the snakes, although I have given you so much pain, please do not be dissatisfied with Me. It is My duty to protect these cows, which are worshiped even by the demigods. Only in order to save them from the danger of your presence have I been obliged to banish you from this place."
Kaliya was residing within the water of the Yamuna, and as a result the back portion of that river had become poisoned. Thus so many cows who had drunk the water had died. Therefore Krsna, even though He was only four or five years old, dipped Himself into the water, punished Kaliya very severely and then asked him to leave the place and go elsewhere.
Krsna said at that time that the cows are worshiped even by the demigods, and He practically demonstrated how to protect the cows. At least people who are in Krsna consciousness should follow in His footsteps and give all protection to the cows. Cows are worshiped not only by the demigods. Krsna Himself worshiped the cows on several occasions, especially on the days of Gopastami and Govardhana-puja.
10. Fluent
A person who can speak meaningful words and with all politeness and good qualities is called vavaduka, or fluent. There is a nice statement in Srimad-Bhagavatam regarding Krsna's speaking politely. When Krsna politely bade His father, Nanda Maharaja, to stop the ritualistic offering of sacrifice to the rain-god, Indra, a wife of one village cowherd man became captivated. She later thus described the speaking of Krsna to her friends: "Krsna was speaking to His father so politely and gently that it was as if He were pouring nectar into the ears of all present there. After hearing such sweet words from Krsna, who will not be attracted to Him?"
Krsna's speech, which contains all good qualities in the universe, is described in the following statement by Uddhava: "The words of Krsna are so attractive that they can immediately change the heart of even His opponent. His words can immediately solve all of the questions and problems of the world. Although He does not speak very long, each and every word from His mouth contains volumes of meaning. These speeches of Krsna are very pleasing to my heart."
11. Highly Learned
When a person is highly educated and acts strictly on moral principles, he is called highly learned. A person conversant in different departments of knowledge is called educated, and because he acts on moral principles, he is called morally stout. Together, these two factors constitute learning.
Krsna's receiving education from Sandipani Muni is described by Sri Narada Muni as follows: "In the beginning, Lord Brahma and others are like clouds of evaporated water from the great ocean of Krsna. In other words, Brahma first received the Vedic education from Krsna, as the clouds receive water from the ocean. That Vedic education or instruction which was spoken by Brahma to the world was then reposed upon the mountain of Sandipani Muni. Sandipani Muni's instructions to Krsna are like a reservoir of water on the mountain, which flows as a river and goes again to mix with the source, the ocean of Krsna." To be more clear, the idea is that Krsna actually cannot be instructed by anyone, just as the ocean does not receive water from any source but itself. It only appears that the rivers are pouring water into the ocean. So it is clear that Brahma received his education from Krsna, and from Brahma, via the disciplic succession, this Vedic instruction was distributed. Sandipani Muni is likened to the river which is flowing down again to that same original ocean of Krsna.
The Siddhas, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka (where all are born with fully developed mystic powers), and the Caranas, the inhabitants of a similar planet, pray to Krsna as follows: "My Lord Govinda, the goddess of learning is decorated with fourteen kinds of educational ornaments, her intelligence is all-pervading within the four departments of the Vedas, her attention is always on the lawbooks given by great sages like Manu, and she is appareled in six kinds of expert knowledge--namely Vedic evidence, grammar, astrology, rhetoric, vocabulary and logic. Her constant friends are the supplements of the Vedas, the Puranas, and she is decorated with the final conclusion of all education. And now she has acquired an opportunity to sit with You as a class friend in school, and she is now engaged in Your service."
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, does not require any education, but He gives a chance to the goddess of learning to serve Him. Being self-sufficient, Krsna does not require the service of any living entity, although He has many devotees. It is because Krsna is so kind and merciful that He gives everyone the opportunity to serve Him, as though He required the service of His devotees.
Regarding His moral principles, it is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam that Krsna is ruling over Vrndavana as death personified to the thieves, as pleasing bliss to the pious, as the most beautiful Cupid to the young girls and as the most munificent personality to the poor men. He is as refreshing as the full moon to His friends, and to His opponents He is the annihilating fire generated from Lord Siva. Krsna is therefore the most perfect moralist in His reciprocal dealings with different kinds of persons. When He is death personified to the thieves, it is not that He is without moral principles or that He is cruel; He is still kind, because to punish thieves with death is to exhibit the highest quality of moral principles. In Bhagavad-gita, also, Krsna says that He deals with different kinds of persons according to their dealings with Him. Krsna's dealings with devotees and with nondevotees, although different, are equally good. Because Krsna is all-good, His dealings. with everyone are always good.
12. Highly Intelligent
A man is called intelligent if he has a sharp memory and fine discretion. As far as Krsna's memory is concerned, it is said that when He was studying in the school of Sandipani Muni in Avantipura, He showed such a sharp memory that by once taking instructions from the teacher He immediately became perfect in any subject. Actually, His going to the school of Sandipani Muni was to show the people of the world that however great or ingenious one may be, he must go to higher authorities for general education. However great one may be, he must accept a teacher or spiritual master.
Krsna's fine discretion was exhibited when He was fighting with the untouchable king who attacked the city of Mathura. According to Vedic rites, those who are untouchable are not to be touched by the ksatriya kings, not even for killing. Therefore, when the untouchable king seized the city of Mathura, Krsna did not think it wise to kill him directly with His own hand. Still the king had to be killed, and therefore Krsna decided with fine discretion that He should flee from the battlefield so that the untouchable king would chase Him. He could then lead the king to the mountain where Mucukunda was lying asleep. Mucukunda had received a benediction from Karttikeya to the effect that when he awoke from his sleep, whomever he might see would at once be burnt to ashes. Therefore Krsna thought it wise to lead the untouchable king to that cave, so that the king's presence would awaken Mucukunda and he would at once be burnt to ashes.
13. Genius
A person is called a genius when he can refute any kind of opposing element with newer and newer arguments. In this connection there is a statement in Padyavali which contains the following conversation between Krsna and Radha. One morning, when Krsna came to Radha, Radha asked Him, "My dear Kesava, where is Your vasa at present?" The Sanskrit word vasa has three meanings: one meaning is residence, one meaning is fragrance, and another meaning is dress.
Actually Radharani inquired from Krsna, "Where is Your dress?" But Krsna took the meaning as residence, and He replied to Radharani, "My dear captivated one, at the present moment My residence is in Your beautiful eyes."
To this Radharani replied, "My dear cunning boy, I did not ask You about Your residence. I inquired about Your dress."
Krsna then took the meaning of vasa as fragrance and said, "My dear fortunate one, I have just assumed this fragrance in order to be associated with Your body."
Srimati Radharani again inquired from Krsna, "Where did You pass Your night?" The exact Sanskrit word used in this connection was yaminyamusitah. Yaminyam means "at night," and usitah means "pass." Krsna, however, divided the word yaminyamusitah into two separate words, namely yaminya and musitah. By dividing this word into two, it came out to mean that He was kidnapped by Yamini, or night. Krsna therefore replied to Radharani, "My dear Radharani, is it possible that night can kidnap Me?" In this way He was answering all of the questions of Radharani so cunningly that He gladdened this dearest of the gopis.
14. Artistic
One who can talk and dress himself very artistically is called vidagdha. This exemplary characteristic was visible in the personality of Sri Krsna. It is spoken of by Radharani as follows: "My dear friend, just see how Krsna has nicely composed songs and how He dances and speaks funny words and plays on His flute, wearing such nice garlands. He has dressed Himself in such an enchanting way, as though He had defeated all kinds of players at the chessboard. He lives wonderfully at the topmost height of artistic craftsmanship."
15. Clever
A person who can perform various types of work at once is called clever. In this connection one of the gopis said, "My dear friends, just see the clever activities of Sri Krsna! He has composed nice songs about the cowherd boys and is pleasing the cows. By the movement of His eyes He is pleasing the gopis, and at the same time, He is fighting with demons like Aristasura. In this way, He is sitting with different living entities in different ways, and He is thoroughly enjoying the situation."
16. Expert
Any person who can quickly execute a very difficult task is called expert. About the expertise of Krsna there is a statement in the Tenth Canto, Fifty-ninth Chapter, verse 17, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein Sukadeva Gosvami tells Maharaja Pariksit, "O best of the Kurus, Sri Krsna cut to pieces all the different weapons used by different fighters." Formerly, fighting was done by releasing different kinds of arrows. One party would release a certain arrow, and the other party had to defeat it by counteracting it with another arrow. For example, one party might release an arrow which would cause water to pour from the sky, and to counteract this the opposing party would have to release an arrow which could immediately turn the water into clouds. So from this statement it appears that Krsna was very expert in counteracting the enemy's arrows. Similarly, at the rasa dance, each and every gopi requested that Krsna individually become her partner, and Krsna immediately expanded Himself into so many Krsnas in order to be coupled with each and every gopi. The result was that each gopi found Krsna by her side.
17. Grateful
Any person who is conscious of his friend's beneficent activities and never forgets his service is called grateful. In the Mahabharata, Krsna says, "When I was away from Draupadi, she cried with the words, 'He govinda!' This call for Me has put Me in her debt, and that indebtedness is gradually increasing in My heart!" This statement by Krsna gives evidence of how one can please the Supreme Lord simply by addressing Him, "He krsna! He govinda!"
The maha-mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) is also simply an address to the Lord and His energy. So to anyone who is constantly engaged in addressing the Lord and His energy, we can imagine how much the Supreme Lord is obliged. It is impossible for the Lord to ever forget such a devotee. It is clearly stated in this verse that anyone who addresses the Lord immediately attracts the attention of the Lord, who always remains obliged to him.
Another instance of Krsna's feeling of obligation is stated in connection with His dealings with Jambavan. When the Lord was present as Lord Ramacandra, Jambavan, the great king of the monkeys, rendered very faithful service to Him. When the Lord again appeared as Lord Krsna, He married Jambavan's daughter and paid him all the respect that is usually given to superiors. Any honest person is obliged to his friend if some service has been rendered unto Him. Since Krsna is the supreme honest personality, how can He forget an obligation to His servitor?
18. Determined
Any person who observes regulative principles and fulfills his promises by practical activity is called determined. As far as the Lord's determination is concerned, there is an example in His dealings in the Hari-vamsa. This is in connection with Lord Krsna's fighting the King of heaven, Indra, who was forcibly deprived of the parijata flower. Parijata is a kind of lotus flower grown on the heavenly planets. Once, Satyabhama, one of Krsna's queens, wanted that lotus flower, and Krsna promised to deliver it; but Indra refused to part with his parijata flower. Therefore there was a great fight, with Krsna and the Pandavas on one side and all of the demigods on the other. Ultimately, Krsna defeated all of them and took the parijata flower, which He presented to His queen. So, in regard to that occurrence, Krsna told Narada Muni, "My dear great sage of the demigods, now you can declare to the devotees in general, and to the nondevotees in particular, that in this matter of taking the parijata flower, all the demigods--the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the demon Raksasas, the Yaksas, the Pannagas--tried to defeat Me, but none could make Me break My promise to My queen."
There is another promise by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita to the effect that His devotee will never be vanquished. So a sincere devotee who is always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord should know for certain that Krsna will never break His promise. He will always protect His devotees in every circumstance.
Krsna showed how He fulfills His promise by delivering the parijata flower to Satyabhama, by saving Draupadi from being insulted and by freeing Arjuna from the attacks of all enemies.
The promise of Krsna that His devotees are never vanquished had also previously been admitted by Indra when he was defeated in the govardhana-lila. When Krsna stopped the villagers of Vraja (Vrndavana) from worshiping Indra, Indra became angry and therefore inundated Vrndavana with continuous rain. Krsna, however, protected all of the citizens and animals of Vrndavana by lifting Govardhana Hill, which served as an umbrella. After the incident was over, Indra surrendered to Krsna with many prayers, in which he admitted, "By Your lifting Govardhana Hill and protecting the citizens of Vrndavana, You have kept Your promise that Your devotees are never to be vanquished."
19. Expert Judge of Time and Circumstances
Krsna was very expert in dealing with people according to circumstances, country, time and paraphernalia. How He could take advantage of a particular time, circumstance and person is expressed by Him while talking to Uddhava about His rasa dance with the gopis. He says, "The most opportune time is the full-moon night in autumn, like tonight. The best place within the universe is Vrndavana, and the most beautiful girls are the gopis. So, My dear friend Uddhava, I think I should now take advantage of all these circumstances and engage Myself in the rasa dance."
20. Seer by the Authority of the Scriptures
A person who acts exactly according to the tenets of scripture is called sastra-caksus. Sastra-caksus means one who sees through the eyes of the authorized scriptures. Actually, any man of knowledge and experience should see everything through these books. For example, with our naked eye we perceive the sun globe simply as some glaring substance, but when we see through authorized books of science and other literature, we can understand how much greater the sun globe is than this earth and how powerful it is. So seeing things through the naked eye is not actually seeing. Seeing things through the authorized books or authorized teachers is the correct way to see. So, although Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and can see all that is past, present and future, to teach the people in general He used to always refer to the scriptures. For example, in Bhagavad-gita, although Krsna was speaking as the supreme authority, He still mentioned and quoted Vedanta-sutra as authority. There is a statement in Srimad-Bhagavatam wherein a person jokingly says that Krsna, the enemy of Kamsa, is known as the seer through the sastras. In order to establish His authority, however, He is now engaged in seeing the gopis, whereby the gopis are becoming maddened.
21. Pure
There are two kinds of supreme purity. When one type is possessed, one is able to deliver a sinful person. When the other type is possessed, one does not do anything which is impure. A person who possesses either of these qualities is called supremely pure. Krsna is both; He can deliver all sinful conditioned souls, and at the same time, He never does anything by which He can be contaminated.
In this connection, Vidura, while trying to detach his elder brother, Dhrtarastra, from his familial attachments, said, "My dear brother, you just fix your mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, who is worshiped with beautiful, erudite verses by great sages and saintly persons. Krsna is the supreme deliverer among all deliverers. Undoubtedly there are great demigods like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, but their positions as deliverers depend always upon the mercy of Krsna." Therefore Vidura advised his elder brother, Dhrtarastra, to concentrate his mind and worship only Krsna. If one simply chants the holy name of Krsna, this holy name will rise within one's heart like the powerful sun and will immediately dissipate all the darkness of ignorance. Vidura advised Dhrtarastra to therefore think always of Krsna, so that the volumes of contaminations due to sinful activities would be washed off immediately. In Bhagavad-gita also Krsna is addressed by Arjuna as param brahma param dhama pavitram--the supreme pure. There are many other instances exhibiting Krsna's supreme purity.
22. Self-controlled
A person who can control his senses fully is called vasi, or self-controlled. In this connection it is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, "All the sixteen thousand wives of Krsna were so exquisitely beautiful that their smiling and shyness were able to captivate the minds of great demigods like Lord Siva. But still they could not even agitate the mind of Krsna, in spite of their attractive feminine behavior." Every one of the thousands of wives of Krsna was thinking that Krsna was captivated by her feminine beauty, but this was not the case. Krsna is therefore the supreme controller of the senses, and this is admitted in Bhagavad-gita, where He is addressed as Hrsikesa--the master of the senses.
23. Steadfast
A person who continues to work until his desired goal is achieved is called steadfast.
There was a fight between Krsna and King Jambavan, and Krsna was to take the valuable Syamantaka jewel from the King. The King tried to hide himself in the forest, but Krsna would not become discouraged. Krsna finally got the jewel by seeking out the King with great steadfastness.
24. Forbearing
A person who tolerates all kinds of troubles, even though such troubles appear to be unbearable, is called forbearing.
When Krsna was residing at the place of His spiritual master, He did not mind taking all troubles in rendering service to His guru, although His body was very soft and delicate. It is the duty of the disciple to execute all services unto the spiritual master, despite all kinds of difficulties. The disciple living at the residence of the spiritual master has to go begging from door to door and bring everything back to the spiritual master. When prasada is being served, the spiritual master is supposed to call each and every disciple to come eat. If by chance the spiritual master forgets to call a disciple to partake of the prasada, it is enjoined in the scriptures that the student should fast on that day rather than accept food on his own initiative. There are many such strictures. Sometimes, also, Krsna went to the forest to collect dry wood for fuel.
25. Forgiving
A person who can tolerate all kinds of offenses from the opposite party is known to be forgiving.
Lord Krsna's forgiving quality is described in the Sisupala-vadha in connection with His forbidding the killing of Sisupala. King Sisupala was the monarch of the Cedi kingdom, and although he happened to be a cousin of Krsna's, he was always envious of Him. Whenever they would meet, Sisupala would try to insult Krsna and call Him ill names as much as possible. In the arena of the Rajasuya sacrifice of Maharaja Yudhisthira, when Sisupala began to call Lord Krsna ill names, Krsna did not care and remained silent. Some of the people at the arena were prepared to kill Sisupala, but Krsna restricted them. He was so forgiving. It is said that when there is a thundering sound in the clouds, the mighty lion immediately replies with his thundering roar. But the lion doesn't care when all the foolish jackals begin to make their less important sounds.
Sri Yamunacarya praises Krsna's power of forgiveness with the following statement: "My dear Lord Ramacandra, You are so merciful to have excused the crow's clawing on the nipples of Janaki simply because of his bowing down before You." Once Indra, the King of heaven, assumed the form of a crow and attacked Sita (Janaki), Lord Ramacandra's wife, by striking her on the breast. This was certainly an insult to the universal mother, Sita, and Lord Ramacandra was immediately prepared to kill the crow. But because later on the crow bowed down before the Lord, the Lord excused his offense. Sri Yamunacarya further says in his prayer that the forgiving power of Lord Krsna is even greater than that of Lord Ramacandra, because Sisupala was always in the habit of insulting Krsna--not only in one lifetime, but continually throughout three lives. Still, Krsna was so kind that He gave Sisupala the salvation of merging into His existence. From this we can understand that the goal of the monist to merge into the effulgence of the Supreme is not a very difficult problem. Persons like Sisupala who are consistently inimical to Krsna can also get this liberation.
26. Grave
A person who does not express his mind to everyone, or whose mental activity and plan of action are very difficult to understand, is called grave. After Lord Sri Krsna had been offended by Brahma, Brahma prayed to Him to be excused. But in spite of his offering nice prayers to Krsna, Brahma could not understand whether Krsna was satisfied or still dissatisfied. In other words, Krsna was so grave that He did not take the prayers of Brahma very seriously. Another instance of Krsna's gravity is found in connection with His love affairs with Radharani. Krsna was always very silent about His love affairs with Radharani, so much so that Baladeva, Krsna's elder brother and constant companion, could not understand the transformations of Krsna on account of His gravity.
27. Self-satisfied
A person who is fully satisfied in himself, without any hankering, and who is not agitated even in the presence of serious cause for distress, is called self-satisfied.
An example of Krsna's self-satisfaction was exhibited when He, Arjuna and Bhima went to challenge Jarasandha, the formidable king of Magadha, and Krsna gave all credit to Bhima for the killing of Jarasandha. From this we can understand that Krsna never cares at all for fame, although no one can be more famous.
An example of His not being disturbed was shown when Sisupala began to call Him ill names. All the kings and brahmanas assembled at the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Yudhisthira became perturbed and immediately wanted to satisfy Krsna by offering nice prayers. But all these kings and brahmanas could not discover any disturbance in Krsna's person.
28. Possessing Equilibrium
A person who is unaffected by attachment and envy is said to possess equilibrium.
An example of Krsna's equilibrium is given in the Tenth Canto, Sixteenth Chapter, verse 33, of Srimad-Bhagavatam in connection with His chastising Kaliya, the hundred-headed serpent. While Kaliya was being severely punished, all of his wives appeared before the Lord and prayed as follows: "Dear Lord, You have descended to punish all kinds of demoniac living creatures. Our husband, this Kaliya, is a greatly sinful creature, and so Your punishment for him is quite appropriate. We know that Your punishment for Your enemies and Your dealings with Your sons are both the same. We know that it is in thinking of the future welfare of this condemned creature that You have chastised him."
In another prayer it is said, "My dear Lord Krsna, best of all the Kuru dynasty, You are so impartial that if even Your enemy is qualified, You will reward him; and if one of Your sons is a culprit, You will chastise him. This is Your business, because You are the supreme author of the universes. You have no partiality. If anyone finds any partiality in Your characteristics, he is surely mistaken."
29. Magnanimous
Any person who is very charitably disposed is called magnanimous.
When Krsna was reigning over Dvaraka, He was so magnanimous and charitably disposed that there was no limit to His charity. In fact, so great was His charity in Dvaraka that even the spiritual kingdom, with all of its opulence of cintamani (touchstone), desire trees and surabhi cows, was surpassed. In the spiritual kingdom of Lord Krsna, named Goloka Vrndavana, there are surabhi cows which give unlimited quantities of milk. There are desire trees from which anyone can take all kinds of fruits, as much as he may desire. The land is made of touchstone, which when touched to iron will transform it into gold. In other words, although in the spiritual kingdom, the abode of Krsna, everything is wonderfully opulent, still when Krsna was in Dvaraka His charity exceeded the opulences of Goloka Vrndavana. Wherever Krsna is present, the limitless opulence of Goloka Vrndavana is automatically present.
It is also stated that while Lord Krsna was living in Dvaraka, He expanded Himself into 16,108 forms, and each and every expansion resided in a palace with a queen. Not only was Krsna happily living with His queens in those palaces, but He was giving in charity from each palace an aggregate number of 13,054 cows completely decorated with nice clothing and ornaments. From each of Krsna's 16,108 palaces, these cows were being given in charity by Krsna every day. No one can estimate the value of such a large number of cows given in charity, but that was the system of Krsna's daily affairs while He was reigning in Dvaraka.
30. Religious
A person who personally practices the tenets of religion as they are enjoined in the sastras and who also teaches others the same principles is called religious. Simply professing a kind of faith is not a sign of religiousness. One must act according to religious principles, and by his personal example he should teach others. Such a person is to be understood as religious.
When Krsna was present on this planet, there was no irreligion. In this connection, Narada Muni once addressed Krsna jokingly, "My dear Lord of the cowherd boys, Your bulls [bulls are the representation of religion], while eating grass from the pasturing ground and moving on their four legs, have certainly eaten up all the grass of irreligion!" In other words, by the grace of Krsna, religious principles were so well cared for that hardly any irreligious activities could be found.
It is said that because Krsna was constantly performing various types of sacrifices and was inviting the demigods from the higher planetary systems, the demigods were almost always absent from their consorts. Therefore the wives of the demigods, regretting the absence of their husbands, began to pray for the appearance of Lord Buddha, Krsna's ninth incarnation, who appears in the age of Kali. In other words, instead of being pleased that Lord Krsna had come, they began to pray for Lord Buddha, who is the ninth incarnation, because Lord Buddha stopped the ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices recommended in the Vedas in order to discourage animal-killing. The demigods' wives thought that if Lord Buddha appeared, all kinds of sacrifices would be stopped, and thus their husbands would not be invited to such ceremonies and would not be separated from them.
Sometimes it is inquired, "Why don't the demigods from higher planetary systems come to this earth planet nowadays?" The plain answer is that since Lord Buddha appeared and began to deprecate the performance of sacrifice in order to stop animal-killing on this planet, the process of offering sacrifices has been stopped, and the demigods do not care to come here anymore.
Chapter Twenty-two
Qualities of Krsna Further Explained
31. Heroic
A person who is very enthusiastic in military activities and expert in releasing different kinds of weapons is called heroic.
Regarding Krsna's heroism in fighting, there is the following statement: "My dear killer of the enemy, just as the elephant while taking bath in the lake destroys all the lotus stems within the water by swinging its trunk, so simply by moving Your arms, which are compared to the trunks of elephants, You have killed so many lotuslike enemies."
Regarding Krsna's expertise in releasing weapons, when Jarasandha and thirteen divisions of soldiers attacked Krsna's army, they were unable to hurt even one soldier on the side of Krsna. This was due to Krsna's expert military training. This is unique in the history of military art.
32. Compassionate
A person who is unable to bear another's distress is called compassionate.
Krsna's compassion for distressed persons was exhibited when He released all of the kings imprisoned by Magadhendra. While dying, Grandfather Bhisma prayed to Krsna and described Him as the sun which eradicated darkness. The kings imprisoned by Magadhendra were put into dark cells, and when Krsna appeared there, the darkness immediately disappeared, just as if the sun had risen. In other words, although Magadhendra was able to imprison so many kings, upon the appearance of Krsna they were all released. Krsna released the kings out of His sincere compassion for them.
Krsna's compassion was also exhibited when Grandfather Bhisma was lying on the bed of arrows which had been shot through his body. While lying in this position, Bhisma was very anxious to see Krsna, and thus Krsna appeared there. Upon seeing the pitiable condition of Bhisma, Krsna began speaking with tears in His eyes. Not only was He shedding tears, but He also forgot Himself in His compassion. Therefore, instead of offering obeisances to Krsna directly, devotees offer obeisances to His compassionate nature. Actually, because Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is very difficult to approach Him. But the devotees, taking advantage of His compassionate nature, which is represented by Radharani, always pray to Radharani for Krsna's compassion.
33. Respectful
A person who shows adequate respect to a spiritual master, a brahmana and an old person is to be understood as being respectful.
When superior persons assembled before Krsna, Krsna first of all offered respect to His spiritual master, then to His father, and then to His elder brother, Balarama. In this way Lord Krsna, the lotus-eyed, was completely happy and pure at heart in all of His dealings.
34. Gentle
Any person who neither becomes impudent nor exhibits a puffed-up nature is called gentle.
The example of Krsna's gentle behavior was manifested when He was coming to the arena of the Rajasuya sacrifice arranged by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Krsna's older cousin. Maharaja Yudhisthira knew that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he was attempting to get down from his chariot to receive Krsna. But before Yudhisthira could get down, Lord Krsna got down from His own chariot and immediately fell at the feet of the King. Even though Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He never forgets to show social etiquette in His dealings.
35. Liberal
Any person who is by his natural behavior very mild is called liberal.
A statement by Uddhava after the Syamantaka jewel plundering confirms that Krsna is so kind and favorable that if a servitor is accused even of great offenses, Krsna does not take this into consideration. He simply considers the service that is rendered by His devotee.
36. Shy
A person who sometimes exhibits humility and bashfulness is called shy.
As described in the Lalita-madhava, Krsna's shyness was manifested when He lifted Govardhana Hill by the little finger of His left hand. All of the gopis were observing Krsna's wonderful achievement, and Krsna was also smiling at seeing the gopis. When Krsna's glance went over the breasts of the gopis, His hand began to shake, and upon seeing His hand shake, all of the cowherd men underneath the hill became a little disturbed. Then there was a tumultuous roaring sound, and they all began to pray to Krsna for safety. At this time Lord Balarama was smiling, thinking that these cowherd men had been frightened by the shaking of Govardhana Hill. But, seeing Balarama smile, Krsna thought that Balarama had understood His mind in observing the breasts of the gopis, and He immediately became bashful.
37. Protector of Surrendered Souls
Krsna is the protector of all surrendered souls.
Some enemy of Krsna's was enlivened with the thought that he needn't fear Krsna, because if he simply surrendered unto Him, Krsna would give him all protection. Krsna is sometimes compared to the moon, which does not hesitate to distribute its soothing rays, even on the houses of the candalas and other untouchables.
38. Happy
Any person who is always joyful and untouched by any distress is called happy.
As far as Krsna's enjoyment is concerned, it is stated that the ornaments which decorated the bodies of Krsna and His queens were beyond the dreams of Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly kingdom. The constant dancing before the doors of Krsna's palaces was not to be imagined even by the demigods in the heavenly kingdom. In the heavenly kingdom, Indra always sees the dancing of the society girls. But even Indra could not imagine how beautiful were the dances being performed at the gates of Krsna's palaces. Gauri means "white woman," and Lord Siva's wife is called Gauri. The beautiful women residing within the palaces of Krsna were so much whiter than Gauri that they were compared to the moonshine, and they were constantly visible to Krsna. Therefore, no one can be enjoying more than Krsna. The conception of enjoyment is beautiful women, ornaments and riches. And all of these were fabulously present in the palaces of Krsna, defeating even the imagination of Kuvera, Lord Indra or Lord Siva.
Not even a slight distress can touch Krsna. Once some of the gopis went to the place where the brahmanas were performing sacrifices and said, "Dear wives of the brahmanas, you must know that not even a slight smell of distress can touch Krsna. He knows no loss, He knows no defamation, He has no fear, He has no anxiety, and He does not know calamity. He is simply encircled by the dancers of Vraja and is enjoying their company in the rasa dance."
39. Well-wisher of His Devotees
It is said of Krsna's devotees that if they offer even a little water or a tulasi leaf in devotion to Lord Visnu, Lord Visnu is so kind that He will sell Himself to them.
Krsna's favoritism toward His devotees was exhibited in His fight with Bhisma. When Grandfather Bhisma was lying at the point of death on the bed of arrows, Krsna was present before him, and Bhisma was remembering how Krsna had been kind to him on the battlefield. Krsna had promised that in the Battle of Kuruksetra He would not even touch a weapon to help either side; He would remain neutral. Although Krsna was Arjuna's charioteer, He had promised that He would not help Arjuna by using any weapons. But one day Bhisma, in order to nullify Krsna's promise, exhibited his fighting spirit so magnificently against Arjuna that Krsna was obliged to get down from His chariot. Taking up a broken chariot wheel, He ran toward Grandfather Bhisma as a lion runs toward an elephant to kill it. Grandfather Bhisma remembered this scene, and He later praised Krsna for His glorious favoritism toward His devotee, Arjuna, even at the risk of breaking His own promise.
40. Controlled by Love
Krsna becomes obliged to the loving spirit of the devotee and not exactly to the service rendered. No one can serve Krsna completely. He is so complete and self-sufficient that He has no need of any service from the devotee. It is the devotee's attitude of love and affection for Krsna that makes Him obliged. A very nice example of this obligatory behavior was manifested when Sudama Vipra went to Krsna's palace. Sudama Vipra had been a class friend of Krsna's, and due to his poverty he was induced by his wife to see Krsna to request some aid. When Sudama Vipra reached Krsna's palace, Krsna received him very well, and both He and His wife washed the feet of Sudama Vipra, showing respect to the brahmana. Remembering His loving affairs with Sudama in their childhood, Krsna began to shed tears while receiving him.
Another instance of Krsna's obligation to His devotee is described in the Tenth Canto, Ninth Chapter, verse 18, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, where Sukadeva Gosvami tells King Pariksit, "My dear King, when mother Yasoda was perspiring, tired of trying to bind Krsna up with rope, Krsna agreed to allow her to bind Him." Krsna, as a child, was disturbing His mother by His naughty activities, and she wanted to bind Him up. Mother Yasoda brought some rope from the house and tried to tie up the child, but she could not tie a knot due to the shortness of the rope. She tied together many ropes, but when she finished still the rope was too short. After a while she felt very tired and began to perspire. At that time Krsna agreed to be bound up by His mother. In other words, no one can bind Krsna by any means other than love. He is bound only by obligation to His devotees, because of their ecstatic love for Him.
41. All-auspicious
A person who is always engaged in auspicious welfare activities for everyone is known as all-auspicious.
After the disappearance of Lord Krsna from this planet, Uddhava began to remember the activities of the Lord and said, "Krsna satisfied all great sages by His wonderful pastimes. He demolished all of the demoniac activities of the cruel royal order, protected all pious men and killed all cruel fighters on the battlefield. Therefore He is all-auspicious for all men."
42. Most Powerful
A person who can always put his enemy into calamities is called powerful.
When Krsna was present on this planet, just as the powerful sun drives all darkness to take shelter in caves, He drove away all of His enemies, who fled like owls to take shelter beyond His sight.
43. All-famous
A person who becomes well known due to his spotless character is called famous.
It is stated that the diffusion of Krsna's fame is like the moonshine, which turns darkness into light. In other words, if Krsna consciousness is preached all over the world, the darkness of ignorance and the anxiety of material existence will turn into the whiteness of purity, peacefulness and prosperity.
When the great sage Narada was chanting the glories of the Lord, the bluish line on the neck of Lord Siva disappeared. Upon seeing this, Gauri, the wife of Lord Siva, suspected Lord Siva of being someone else disguised as her husband, and out of fear she immediately left his company. Upon hearing the chanting of Krsna's name, Lord Balarama saw that His dress had become white, although He was generally accustomed to a bluish dress. And the cowherd girls saw all of the water of the Yamuna River turn into milk, so they began to churn it into butter. In other words, by the spreading of Krsna consciousness, or the glories of Krsna, everything became white and pure.
44. Popular
Any person who is very dear to people in general is called a popular man.
As for Krsna's popularity, there is a statement in the First Canto, Eleventh Chapter, verse 9, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, that deals with His returning home from the capital of Hastinapura. While He had been absent from Dvaraka at the Battle of Kuruksetra, all the citizens of Dvaraka had become morose. Then, when He returned, the citizens joyfully received Him and said, "Dear Lord, while You were absent from the city, we passed our days in the darkness of night. As in the darkness of night every moment appears to be a long duration of time, so while You were gone every moment appeared to us like millions of years. Your separation is completely unbearable to us." This statement shows how popular Krsna was all over the country.
A similar incident occurred when Krsna entered the arena of sacrifice arranged by King Kamsa for His death. As soon as He entered the place, all the sages began to cry, "Jaya! Jaya! Jaya!" (which means "Victory!"). Krsna was a boy at that time, and all the sages offered their respectful blessings to Him. The demigods who were present also began to offer beautiful prayers to Krsna. And the ladies and girls present expressed their joy from all corners of the arena. In other words, there was no one in that particular place with whom Krsna was not very popular.
45. Partiality to Devotees
Although Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is therefore not partial to anyone, it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that He has special attraction for a devotee who worships His name in love and affection. When Krsna was on this planet, one devotee expressed his feeling in this way: "My dear Lord, if You had not appeared on this planet, then the asuras [demons] and atheists would have surely created havoc against the activities of the devotees. I cannot imagine the magnitude of such devastation prevented by Your presence." From the very beginning of His appearance, Krsna was the greatest enemy of all demoniac persons, although Krsna's enmity toward the demons is actually comparable to His friendship with the devotees. This is because any demon who is killed by Krsna receives immediate salvation.
46. Very Attractive to All Women
Any person who has special qualifications becomes immediately very attractive to women.
A devotee made the following statement about the queens of Dvaraka: "How shall I describe the glories of the queens of Dvaraka, who were personally engaged in the service of the Lord? The Lord is so great that simply by chanting His name all the great sages like Narada can enjoy transcendental bliss. So what can be said about those queens, who were at every moment seeing the Lord and serving Him personally?" Krsna had 16,108 wives in Dvaraka, and each and every one of them was attracted to Krsna just as iron is attracted by a magnet. There is a statement by a devotee: "My dear Lord, You are just like a magnet, and all the damsels of Vraja are just like iron: in whichever direction You are moving they are following You, as iron is attracted by magnetic force."
47. All-worshipable
A person who is respected and worshiped by all kinds of human beings and demigods is called sarvaradhya, or all-worshipable.
Krsna is worshiped not only by all living entities, including the great demigods like Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, but also by Visnu expansions (forms of Godhead) such as Baladeva and Sesa. Baladeva is a direct expansion of Krsna, but He still accepts Krsna as worshipable. When Krsna appeared in the arena of the Rajasuya sacrifice organized by Maharaja Yudhisthira, to all present, including great sages and demigods, Krsna became the cynosure, the center of attraction, and everyone offered Him respects.
48. All-opulent
Krsna is full in all opulences--namely strength, wealth, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. When Krsna was present in Dvaraka, His family, which is known as the Yadu dynasty, consisted of 560 million members. And all of these family members were very obedient and faithful to Krsna. There were more than 900,000 big palatial buildings there to house all the people, and everyone in them respected Krsna as the most worshipable. Devotees were astonished to see the opulence of Krsna.
This was verified by Bilvamangala Thakura when in Krsna-karnamrta he addressed Krsna thus: "My dear Lord, what can I say about the opulence of Your Vrndavana? Simply the ornaments on the legs of the damsels of Vrndavana are more than cintamani, and their dresses are as good as the heavenly parijata flowers. And the cows exactly resemble the surabhi cows in the transcendental abode. Therefore Your opulence is just like an ocean that no one can measure."
49. All-honorable
A person who is chief among all important persons is called all honorable.
When Krsna was living at Dvaraka, demigods like Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, Indra the King of heaven and many others used to come to visit Him. The doorkeeper, who had to manage the entrance of all these demigods, one very busy day said, "My dear Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, please sit down on this bench and wait. My dear Indra, please desist from reading your prayers. This is creating a disturbance. Please wait silently. My dear Varuna, please go away. And my dear demigods, do not waste your time uselessly. Krsna is very busy; He cannot see you!"
50. The Supreme Controller
There are two kinds of controllers, or lords: one who is independent is called controller, and one whose orders cannot be neglected by anyone is called controller.
Regarding Krsna's complete independence and lordship, Srimad-Bhagavatam says that although Kaliya was a great offender, Krsna still favored him by marking his head with His lotus feet, whereas Lord Brahma, although having prayed to Krsna with so many wonderful verses, still could not attract Him.
This contradictory treatment by Krsna is just befitting His position, because in all the Vedic literature He is described as the complete independent. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam the Lord is described as svarat, which means "completely independent." That is the position of the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is not only sentient, but is also completely independent.
As for Krsna's orders not being neglected by anyone, in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, Second Chapter, verse 21, Uddhava tells Vidura, "Lord Krsna is the master of the three modes of material nature. He is the enjoyer of all opulences, and therefore there is no one equal to or greater than Him." All the great kings and emperors used to come before Him, offer their gifts and pay obeisances with their helmets at the feet of the Lord. One devotee said, "My dear Krsna, when You order Brahma, 'Now you may create the universe,' and when You order Lord Siva, 'Now you dissolve this material manifestation,' You are in this way creating and dissolving the material creation Yourself. Simply by Your orders and by Your partial representation of Visnu, You are maintaining the universes. In this way, O Krsna, O enemy of Kamsa, there are so many Brahmas and Sivas who are simply carrying out Your orders."
51. Changeless
Krsna does not change His constitutional position, not even when He appears in this material world. Ordinary living entities have their constitutional spiritual positions covered. They appear in different bodies, and under the different bodily concepts of life they act. But Krsna does not change His body. He appears in His own body and is therefore not affected by the modes of material nature. In the First Canto, Eleventh Chapter, verse 38, of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that the special prerogative of the supreme controller is that He is not at all affected by the modes of nature. The practical example of this is that devotees who are under the protection of the Lord are also not affected by material nature. To overcome the influence of material nature is very difficult, but the devotees or the saintly persons who are under the protection of the Lord are not affected. So what need is there to speak of the Lord Himself? To be more clear, although the Lord sometimes appears in this material world, He has nothing to do with the modes of material nature, and He acts with full independence in His transcendental position. This is the special quality of the Lord.
52. All-cognizant
Any person who can understand the feelings of all persons and incidents in all places at all times is called all-cognizant.
A nice example of the all-cognizant quality of the Lord is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, verse 11, in connection with Durvasa Muni's visit to the house of the Pandavas in the forest. Following a calculated plan, Duryodhana sent Durvasa Muni and his ten thousand disciples to be guests of the Pandavas in the forest. Duryodhana arranged for Durvasa and his men to reach the place of the Pandavas just when the Pandavas' lunchtime ended, so that the Pandavas would be caught without sufficient means to feed such a large number of guests. Knowing Duryodhana's plan, Krsna came to the Pandavas and asked their wife, Draupadi, if there were any remnants of food which she could offer to Him. Draupadi offered Him a container in which there was only a little fragment of some vegetable preparation, and Krsna at once ate it. At that moment all of the sages accompanying Durvasa were taking bath in the river, and when Krsna felt satisfaction from eating Draupadi's offering, they also felt satisfaction, and their hunger was gone. Because Durvasa and his men were unable to eat anything more, they went away without coming into the house of the Pandavas. In this way the Pandavas were saved from the wrath of Durvasa. Duryodhana had sent them because he knew that since the Pandavas would not be able to receive such a large number, Durvasa would become angry, and the Pandavas would be cursed. But Krsna saved them from this calamity by His trick and by His all-cognizant quality.
53. Ever Fresh
Krsna is always remembered, and His name is always chanted by millions of devotees, but the devotees never become saturated. Instead of becoming disinterested in thinking of Krsna and in chanting His holy name, the devotees get newer and newer impetus to continue the process. Therefore Krsna is ever fresh. Not only Krsna Himself, but also Krsna's knowledge is ever fresh. Bhagavad-gita, which was imparted five thousand years ago, is still being read repeatedly by many, many men, and still new light is always being found in it. Therefore, Krsna and His name, fame, qualities--and everything in relationship with Him--is ever fresh.
All the queens at Dvaraka were goddesses of fortune. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Eleventh Chapter, verse 33, that the goddesses of fortune are very fickle and restless, so no one can consistently captivate them. Thus one's luck will always change sometime. Yet the goddesses of fortune could not leave Krsna for even a moment when they were residing with Him at Dvaraka. This means that Krsna's attraction is ever fresh. Even the goddesses of fortune cannot leave His company.
Regarding Krsna's attractive features being ever fresh, there is a statement by Radharani in the Lalita-madhava in which Krsna is compared to the greatest sculptor, because He is expert in chiseling at the chastity of women. In other words, although chaste women may follow the rules and regulations of Vedic principles to become ever faithful to their husbands, Krsna is able to break their stonelike chastity with the chisel of His beauty. Most of the girl friends of Krsna were married, but because Krsna was their friend before their marriages, they could not forget His attractive features, which were always fascinating to them, even after their marriages.
54. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha
Krsna's transcendental body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. Sat means ever-existing for all time and in all places; in other words, all-pervading in time and space. Cit means full of knowledge. Krsna has nothing to learn from anyone. He is independently full of all knowledge. Ananda means the reservoir of all pleasure. The impersonalists are seeking to merge into the Brahman effulgence of eternity and knowledge, but the major portion of the absolute pleasure which is in Krsna is avoided by them. One can enjoy the transcendental blissfulness of merging into the Brahman effulgence after being freed from the contamination of material illusion, false identification, attachment, detachment and material absorption. These are the preliminary qualifications of a person who can realize Brahman. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that one has to become full of joyfulness; this is not exactly joyfulness, but a sense of freedom from all anxieties. Freedom from all anxieties may be the first principle of joyfulness, but it is not actual joyfulness. Those who realize the self, or become brahma-bhuta, are only preparing themselves for the platform of joyfulness. That joyfulness can be actually achieved only when one comes into contact with Krsna. Krsna consciousness is so complete that it includes the transcendental pleasure derived from impersonal or Brahman realization. Even the impersonalist will become attracted to the personal form of Krsna, known as Syamasundara.
It is confirmed by the statement of Brahma-samhita that the Brahman effulgence is the bodily ray of Krsna; the Brahman effulgence is simply an exhibition of the energy of Krsna. Krsna is the source of the Brahman effulgence, as He Himself confirms in Bhagavad-gita. From this we can conclude that the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth is not the ultimate end; Krsna is the ultimate end of the Absolute Truth.
The members of the Vaisnava schools therefore never try to merge into the Brahman effulgence in their pursuit of spiritual perfection. They accept Krsna as the ultimate goal of self-realization. Therefore Krsna is called Parambrahman (the Supreme Brahman) or Paramesvara (the supreme controller). Sri Yamunacarya has prayed as follows: "My dear Lord, I know that the gigantic universe and gigantic space and time within the universe are covered by the ten layers of the material elements, each layer ten times larger than the previous one. The three material modes of nature, the Garbhodakasayi Visnu, the Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the Maha-Visnu, and beyond them the spiritual sky and its spiritual planets, known as Vaikunthas, and the Brahman effulgence in that spiritual sky--all of these taken together are nothing but a small exhibition of Your potency."
55. Possessing All Mystic Perfections
There are many standards of perfection. The highest material perfections, obtained by perfect yogis, are listed as eight: to become the smallest of the small, to become the greatest of the great, etc. All of these material perfections, as well as all spiritual perfections, can be found fully in Krsna's personality.
56. Krsna's Inconceivable Potencies
Krsna is present everywhere, not only within the universe, not only within the hearts of all living entities, but also within every atom. In the prayers of Queen Kunti we find mention of this inconceivable potency of Krsna. While Krsna was talking with Kunti, He simultaneously entered the womb of Uttara, who was in danger due to the atomic weapon of Asvatthama. Krsna can illusion even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, and He can protect all surrendered devotees from the reactions of sinful activities. These are some of the examples of His inconceivable potencies.
Srila Rupa Gosvami therefore offers his obeisances unto Krsna by saying, "Krsna, who is present as a human being, has as His mere shadow the whole material nature. He has expanded Himself into so many cows, calves and cowherd boys, and He has again manifested Himself in all of them as the four-handed Narayana. He has taught millions of Brahmas self-realization, and thus He is worshipable not only by the heads of all universes, but by everyone else also. Therefore let me always accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
When Indra was defeated by Krsna in the matter of taking the parijata plant from heaven, Narada met Indra and criticized him, "O Indra, great King of heaven, Krsna has already defeated Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. So what can be said of an insignificant demigod like you?" Narada Muni, of course, was criticizing Indra jokingly, and Indra enjoyed it. In Narada's statement it is confirmed that Krsna was able to illusion even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, as well as Indra. So there is no question of Krsna's power to do the same to lesser living entities.
A description of Krsna's power in minimizing the sufferings of sinful reactions is given in Brahma-samhita as follows: "Beginning from the great King of heaven down to the ant, everyone is undergoing the reactions of past deeds. But a devotee of Krsna is relieved from such reactions by the grace of Krsna." This was clearly proved when Krsna went to the place of Yamaraja, the Lord of death, to reclaim the dead son of His teacher. Krsna's teacher had requested Krsna to bring back his dead son, and to do so Krsna went to the place of Yamaraja to claim that soul, who had been brought there by Yamaraja and was being kept under his control. Krsna immediately ordered Yamaraja, "Be benefited by My order and return that soul unto Me!" The purport of this incident is that even a person who is under the regulative principles of the laws of nature, and is therefore punishable by Yamaraja under these laws, can be granted complete immunity by the grace of Krsna.
Krsna's inconceivable potencies have been described by Sukadeva Gosvami as follows: "Krsna is bewildering my intelligence because, although He is unborn, He has appeared as the son of Nanda Maharaja. He is all-pervading, but still He is held on the lap of Yasoda. In spite of His being all-pervasive, He has become limited by the love of Yasoda. Although He has innumerable forms, still He is moving as one Krsna before His father and mother, Nanda and Yasoda." In the Brahma-samhita also it is said that although Krsna is eternally living in Goloka Vrndavana, His transcendental abode, He is still present everywhere, even within the atoms.
57. Krsna's Body Generates Innumerable Universes
In the Tenth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 11, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Lord Brahma says, "My dear Lord, false ego, intelligence, mind, sky, air, fire, water and earth are the material ingredients of this universe, which can be compared to a gigantic pot. In that gigantic pot my body is of insignificant measurement, and even though one of the many universes is created by me, innumerable universes are coming and going from the pores of Your body, just as atomic particles are seen flickering in the sunlight. I think I am very, very insignificant before You, and I am therefore begging Your pardon. Please be merciful toward me."
If one takes account of only one universe, he will find so many combinations of wonderful things within, because there are innumerable planets, innumerable residences and places of demigods. The diameter of the universe is four billion miles, and it is infested with many unfathomable regions known as Patalas, or lower planetary systems. Although Krsna is the origin of all this, He can always be seen in Vrndavana, exhibiting His inconceivable potencies. So who can adequately worship such an all-powerful Lord, possessed of such inconceivable energy?
58. The Original Source of All Incarnations
Jayadeva Gosvami, in his Gita-govinda, has sung as follows: "The Lord has saved the Vedas in His form as a fish, and He has borne the whole universe on His back in the form of a tortoise. He has picked up this earthly planet from the water in the form of a boar. He has killed Hiranyakasipu in the form of Nrsimha. He has cheated Maharaja Bali in the form of Vamana. He has annihilated all the dynasties of the ksatriyas in the form of Parasurama. He has killed all the demons in the form of Lord Rama. He has accepted the great plow in the form of Balarama. He has annihilated all the atheistic persons in the form of Kalki. And He has saved all the poor animals in the form of Lord Buddha." *<footnote> All of these incarnations of Godhead are described in the These are some of the descriptions of the incarnations emanating from Krsna, and from Srimad-Bhagavatam it is understood that innumerable incarnations are always coming out from the body of Krsna, just like waves in the ocean. No one can even count how many waves there are, and similarly no one can count how many incarnations are coming from the Lord's body.
59. Krsna Gives Salvation to the Enemies That He Kills
Another name for salvation is apavarga. Apavarga is the opposite of pavarga, or the various miserable conditions of material existence. The word pa-varga indicates the combination of five Sanskrit letters: pa, pha, ba, bha and ma. These letters are the first letters of the words for five different conditions as described below. The first letter, pa, comes from the word parabhava, which means "defeat." In this material struggle for existence, we are simply meeting defeat. Actually, we have to conquer birth, death, disease and old age, and because there is no possibility of overcoming all these miserable conditions, due to the illusion of maya we are simply meeting with parabhava, or defeat. The next letter, pha, is taken from the word phena. Phena is the foam which is found on the mouth when one is very tired (as is commonly observed with horses). The letter ba comes from the word bandha, or bondage. Bha is taken from the word bhiti, or fearfulness. Ma is taken from the word mrti, or death. So the word pavarga signifies our struggle for existence and our meeting with defeat, exhaustion, bondage, fearfulness and, at last, death. Apavarga means that which can nullify all of these material conditions. Krsna is said to be the giver of apavarga, the path of liberation.
For the impersonalists and the enemies of Krsna, liberation means merging into the Supreme. The demons and the impersonalists do not care for Krsna, but Krsna is so kind that He gives this liberation even to His enemies and to the impersonalists. There is the following statement in this connection: "O Murari [Krsna]! How wonderful it is that although the demons, who were always envious of the demigods, have failed to penetrate Your military phalanx, they have penetrated the region of mitra, the sun globe." The word mitra is used metaphorically. Mitra means "the sun globe," and mitra also means "friend." The demons who opposed Krsna as enemies wanted to penetrate His military phalanx, but instead of doing this, they died in battle, and the result was that they penetrated the planet of Mitra, or the sun planet. In other words, they entered into the Brahman effulgence. The example of the sun planet is given here because the sun is ever-illuminating, like the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable illuminating Vaikuntha planets. The enemies of Krsna were killed, and instead of penetrating Krsna's phalanx, they entered into the friendly atmosphere of the spiritual effulgence. That is the mercy of Krsna, and therefore He is known as the deliverer of His enemies also.
60. The Attractor of Liberated Souls
There are many examples of how Krsna attracted even great liberated souls like Sukadeva Gosvami and the Kumaras. In this connection the following statement was given by the Kumaras: "How wonderful it is that although we are completely liberated, free from desire and situated at the stage of paramahamsa, we are still aspiring to taste the pastimes of Radha and Krsna."
61. Performer of Wonderful Activities
In the Brhad-vamana Purana, the Lord says, "Although I have many fascinating pastimes, whenever I think of the rasa-lila, which I perform with the gopis, I become eager to have it again."
One devotee has said, "I know about Narayana, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and I also know about many other incarnations of the Lord. Certainly all the pastimes of such incarnations are exciting to my mind, but still the pastimes of the rasa-lila performed by Lord Krsna Himself are wonderfully increasing my transcendental pleasure."
62. Krsna Is Surrounded by Loving Devotees
When we speak of Krsna, Krsna is not alone. "Krsna" means His name, His qualities, His fame, His friends, His paraphernalia, His entourage--all of these are included. When we speak of a king, it is to be understood that he is surrounded by ministers, secretaries, military commanders and many other people. Similarly, Krsna is not impersonal. In His Vrndavana lila especially, He is surrounded by the gopis, the cowherd boys, His father, His mother and all the inhabitants of Vrndavana.
In the Tenth Canto, Thirty-first Chapter, verse 15, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the gopis lament, "My dear Krsna, during the daytime when You go out into the forest of Vrndavana with Your cows, we consider one moment to be twelve years, and it is very difficult for us to pass the time. And again when You come back at the end of the day, by seeing Your beautiful face we are so much attracted that we are unable to stop looking upon You constantly. At these times, when there is occasional blinking of our eyelids, we condemn the creator, Lord Brahma, as a dunce, because he does not know how to make perfect eyes!" In other words, the gopis were disturbed by the blinking of their eyes, because for the moment that their eyes were closed they could not see Krsna. This means that the gopis' love for Krsna was so great and ecstatic that they were disturbed by even His momentary absence. And when they saw Krsna, they were also disturbed. This is a paradox.
One gopi, expressing herself to Krsna, says, "When we meet You at night, we consider the duration of night to be very small. And why speak of only this night? Even if we had a night we would consider it a very short time!" We get an idea of Brahma's day from the following statement of Bhagavad-gita (8.17): "By human calculation, a thousand yuga cycles taken together is Brahma's one day. And such also is the duration of his night." The gopis said that even if they could have that duration of night, it would still not be sufficient for their meeting with Krsna.
63. Krsna's Attractive Flute
In the Tenth Canto, Thirty-fifth Chapter, verse 15, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the gopis tell mother Yasoda, "When your son plays on His flute, Lord Siva, Lord Brahma and Indra--although they are supposed to be the greatest learned scholars and personalities--all become bewildered. Although they are all very great personalities, by hearing the sound of Krsna's flute they humbly bow down and become grave from studying the sound vibrated."
In his book Vidagdha-madhava, Sri Rupa Gosvami thus describes the vibration of Krsna's flute: "The sound vibration created by the flute of Krsna wonderfully stopped Lord Siva from playing his dindima drum, and the same flute has caused great sages like the four Kumaras to become disturbed in their meditation. It has caused Lord Brahma, who was sitting on the lotus flower for the creative function, to become astonished. And Anantadeva, who was calmly holding all the planets on His hood, was moving in this way and that due to the transcendental vibration from Krsna's flute, which penetrated through the covering of this universe and reached to the spiritual sky."
64. Krsna's Exquisite Beauty
In the Third Canto, Second Chapter, verse 12, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Uddhava tells Vidura, "My dear sir, Krsna's form was most wonderful when He appeared on this planet and exhibited the potency of His internal energy. His wonderfully attractive form was present during His pastimes on this planet, and by His internal potency He exhibited His opulences, which are striking to everyone. His personal beauty was so great that there was no necessity for His wearing ornaments on His body. In fact, instead of the ornaments' beautifying Krsna, Krsna's beauty enhanced the ornaments."
Regarding the attractiveness of Krsna's bodily beauty and the sound vibration of His flute, in the Tenth Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verse 40, of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the gopis address Krsna as follows: "Although our attitude toward You resembles loving affairs with a paramour, we cannot but wonder at how no woman can maintain her chastity upon hearing the vibration from Your flute. And not only women, but even stronghearted men are subject to falling down from their position at the sound of Your flute. In fact, we have seen that in Vrndavana even the cows, the deer, the birds, the trees--everyone--has been enchanted by the sweet vibration of Your flute and the fascinating beauty of Your person."
In Rupa Gosvami's Lalita-madhava, it is said, "One day Krsna happened to see the shadow of His beautiful form reflected on the jeweled foreground. Upon seeing this bodily reflection, He expressed His feelings: 'How wonderful it is that I have never seen such a beautiful form! Although it is My own form, still, like Radharani, I am trying to embrace this form and enjoy celestial bliss.'" This statement shows how Krsna and His shadow reflection are one and the same. There is no difference between Krsna and His shadow reflection, nor be