Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 11, part 3 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     Third, smaraṇa--when the mind attains union with Śrī Bhagavān’s names, qualities, pastimes and so on, that is called smaraṇa. Remembrance of Śrī Hari is by nature the very life of all sādhana. Still, in practicing the smaraṇa limb of bhakti, concentration of the mind is the absolute necessity. If the mind is not pure, concentration is not possible. The import is that if impurities in the form of the appearance of other things in the mind are not expelled, the heart and mind do not become clear. For this reason, the practice of smaraṇa is not possible for everyone. Therefore, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, atha śaraṇāpattyādibhiḥ śuddhāntaḥkaraṇaś cet...nāmakīrtanāparityāgena smaraṇaṁ kuryāt. “When the heart and mind have been purified by taking shelter of the Lord and other practices, the practice of smaraṇāṅga-bhakti should be performed along with nāma-kīrtana.” The meaning is that as much as the sādhaka’s heart and mind are sanctified or cleansed by practicing the limbs of bhajana, such as having faith, taking shelter, service to Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas, hearing, chanting and so on, to that degree, smaraṇāṅga-bhajana gives happiness or enjoyment to the sādhaka. Gradually, the sādhaka engaged in smaraṇa-sevā with great care and attention passes through several levels and finally arrives in the realm where love is attained. Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has mentioned those levels: tad idaṁ smaraṇaṁ pañca-vidhaṁ, yat-kiñcid anusandhānaṁ smaraṇam. sarvataś cittam ākṛṣya sāmānyākāreṇa manodhāraṇaṁ dhāraṇā. viśeṣato rūpādi-cintanaṁ dhyānam. amṛta-dhārāvad avicchinnaṁ tat dhruvānusmṛtiḥ. dhyeya-mātra-sphuraṇaṁ samādhir iti (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 278 anuḥ). “The aforementioned smaraṇa is of five kinds. Exploration of Śrī Hari’s name, form and so on to a small degree is called smaraṇa. Pulling one’s attention away from all sense objects and holding Śrī Hari’s form, qualities and so on steadily in one’s thoughts is called dhāraṇā. Contemplating his form and so on in a more specific way is called dhyāna. Uninterrupted remembrance, as though it were a stream of nectar, is called dhruvānusmṛti. When only that which is to be meditated upon appears in the mind, that is called samādhi.” As a result of careful sevā of the smaraṇa limb of bhakti, the sādhaka is gradually blessed with the attainment of bhāva-samādhi, complete absorption in divine love.

     Then, pāda-sevana--pāda-śabdo bhaktyaiva nirdiṣṭaḥ. tataḥ sevāyāḥ sādaratvaṁ vidhiyate. sevā ca kāla-deśādy ucitā paricaryādi-paryāyā. sā yathā--‘yat-pāda-sevābhirucis tapasvinām aśeṣa-janmopacitaṁ malaṁ dhiyaḥ. sadyaḥ kṣīṇoty anvaham edhatī satī yathā padāṅguṣṭha-viniḥsṛtā sarit.’ The meaning is that in pāda-sevā, or serving the lotus feet, the word pāda has been used to indicate devotion or respect. It is not that only sevā of the lotus feet is to be done, and not of other limbs like the lotus face, lotus hands and so on. Sevā of all limbs must be done with great affection and respect. Service that is appropriate for the time, place and so on is called sevā. The word sevā denotes service. In a discourse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.21.31 concerning having a taste for sevā, Śrīla Pṛthu Mahārāja said to Śrī Viṣṇu, “O Lord! If a fondness for serving your lotus feet arises in a person burnt by the miseries of the material world, the impure desires for sense objects accumulated in his heart and mind from endless births are very quickly destroyed, just as the three worlds are purified by the Gaṅgā flowing from your big toe.” Here, the secondary result of having a taste for, or having done careful service of, this pāda-sevana limb has been described. In truth, as a result of his fondness for pāda-sevana, the bhakta desires only that pāda-sevā and nothing else. For this reason, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.51.55, Śrī Mucukunda Mahārāja says to Śrī Bhagavān, 

न कामयेऽन्यं तव पादसेवनादकिञ्चनप्रार्थ्यतमाद्वरं विभो ।

आराध्य कस्त्वां ह्यपवर्गदं हरे वृणीत आर्यो वरमात्मबन्धनम् ॥

     “O Lord! I pray for no other blessing than the service of your lotus feet, which is the constant prayer of those humble souls who have given up all desires. O Hari! What wise person, having worshiped you, the bestower of liberation, would accept another boon which may bind his soul?” Regarding the significance of using the word apavargada (giver of liberation), Śrī Jīvapāda has written that though the devotee may pray for a blessing concerning his own bondage, he will still not accept mukti. Within this pāda-sevā form of bhakti, practices such as seeing and touching the Deity, circumambulating and following the Deity, going to Bhagavān’s temples, and bathing and so forth in holy places like the Gaṅgā, Puruṣottama (Jagannātha Purī), Dvārakā and Mathurā are included because all of these generally go along with pāda-sevana.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 11, part 2 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

  Second, kīrtana means to speak about the name, qualities, pastimes and so on of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Specifically, kīrtana of Śrī Bhagavān’s names is the dharma for kali-yuga. Among all sādhanas, there is none better than chanting Śrī Bhagavān’s names for obtaining prema. It is devoid of any consideration of place, time or recipient; the idea of qualification or lack thereof has been rejected; it is supremely beneficial for all living beings; it is warmly received by all virtuous people and practiced by innumerable siddhas (perfected beings) as well as sādhakas.  In all śāstras, this nāma-saṅkīrtana (chanting of the Holy Names) has been determined to be the best means for obtaining prema. etan nirvidyamānānām icchatām akutobhayam, yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ harer nāmānukīrtanam (Bhāg. 2.1.11). sādhakānāṁ siddhānāṁ ca nātaḥ param anyat śreyo’stīty āha etad iti. icchatāṁ kāmināṁ tat-tat-phala-sādhanam etad eva. yogināṁ jñānināṁ phalaṁ caitad eva nirṇītam. nātra-pramāṇaṁ vyaktavyam ity arthaḥ (Śrīdhara Ṭīkā). The meaning is that for both the sādhakas and the siddha-mahāpuruṣas there is no better sādhana than nāma-kīrtana. With this in mind, he says, “O King! For those who have desires, nāma-saṅkīrtana is the unfailing sādhana for obtaining their goals. And for those who are indifferent to worldly life and desire liberation, this nāma-saṅkīrtana is the foremost sādhana. The primary result of the sādhanas performed by the yogīs and jñānīs is also nāma-saṅkīrtana.”

  The way by which prema is realized as a result of carefully serving nāma-saṅkīrtana has been revealed from the mouth of Śrīman Mahāprabhu himself in his Śikṣāṣṭaka: yerūpe laile nāma prema upajāya, tāhāra lakṣaṇa śuna svarūpa rāmarāya. tṛṇād api sunīcena taror iva sahiṣṇuṇā, amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. “Hear from me, Svarūpa and Rāmarāya, the characteristic of how prema is born of chanting the Holy Names. Feeling oneself to be lower than even the grass, one should always chant Hari’s names with forbearance like a tree, with humility and with respect.” Mahāprabhu has personally explained the meaning of this verse in Caitanya-Caritāmṛta (Antya 20.22-26):

উত্তম হঞা আপনাকে মানে তৃণাধম | দুইপ্রকারে সহিষ্ণুতা করে বৃক্ষসম ||

বৃক্ষ যেন কাটিলেহ কিছু না বোলয় | শুখাইয়া মৈলে কারে পানি না মাগয় ||

যেই যে মাগয়ে তারে দেয় আপন ধন | ঘর্ম-বৃষ্টি সহে, আনের করয়ে রক্ষণ ||

উত্তম হঞা বৈষ্ণব হবে নিরভিমান | জীবে সম্মান দিবে জানি কৃষ্ণ-অধিষ্ঠান ||

এইমত হঞা যেই কৃষ্ণনাম লয় | কৃষ্ণের চরণে তার প্রেম উপজয় ||

     “Even though being the highest, he regards himself as lower than grass. He is tolerant like a tree in two ways: if cut, he says nothing, and if weak from thirst, he does not ask for water. If someone begs from him, he gives his own wealth. He endures heat and rain, yet gives shelter to others. Although the highest, a Vaiṣṇava must be without pride, always giving respect to everyone, knowing them to be the dwelling place of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet will awaken for whomever chants the Lord’s name in this way.”

  Regarding the tṛṇād api verse, Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmipāda has written,

ঊর্ধ্ববাহু করি কহি শুন সর্বলোক | নামসূত্রে গাঁথি পর কণ্ঠে এই শ্লোক ||

প্রভুর আজ্ঞায় কর এই শ্লোক আচরণ | অবশ্য পাইবে তবে শ্রীকৃষ্ণচরণ ||

  “With arms raised high, I say, listen everyone! String this verse upon the thread of the holy name and wear it around your necks. Whoever follows this verse by Mahāprabhu’s order shall certainly attain Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.” (CC. Ādi 17.32-33)

  The meaning of this statement is that to chant nāma continuously, this verse must be remembered, and in order to attain this state, the sādhaka must pray forlornly to Śrī Nāma and express the extreme anxiety in his heart. Because until such a condition is attained, one does not acquire prema, the primary result of chanting nāma. The genuine honoring of this verse is the unfailing method of offenseless nāma-kīrtana because nāmāparādha is the most serious obstacle to obtaining prema through the very powerful process of nāma-sādhanā. Śrī Nāma is not pleased by an offensive person, and even though that person may perform kīrtana for a long time, Śrī Nāma has no desire to give him prema. Since careful service of this harināma-saṅkīrtana is the kali-yuga-dharma, those who desire to obtain prema without delay must perform nāma-kīrtana free from the ten kinds of offenses against the Name. The verbal root rādh connotes satisfaction. If one commits an aparādha, or offense, the satisfaction of chanting nāma goes away because Śrī Nāma thoroughly conceals his own power. As a result, the nāmāparādhī (offender) becomes incapable of performing proper service to nāma. Never mind proper sevā, lack of faith, hypocrisy, absorption in things other than Kṛṣṇa, hoping for profit, adoration and fame, negligence in nāma-bhajana and so on are the poisonous fruits of this aparādha. Moreover, another meaning of rādh is siddhi (accomplishment, realization). Whenever there is an aparādha, the desired result is not attained. The reason is that the aparādha makes all of the sādhaka’s sādhana and bhajana fruitless, causing all spiritual matters to appear as material. A desire for enjoyment then awakens in the sādhaka’s heart and mind and prevents him from taking full shelter of nāma. Here we shall mention the various nāma-aparādhas in brief: (1) defaming a saintly person, (2) thinking the name, form and so on of Śrī Śiva are independent of Śrī Viṣṇu, (3) disrespecting Śrī Guru or regarding him as an ordinary person, (4) blaspheming the Vedas or scriptures following them, (5) considering the glories of Śrī Harināma as empty praise, (6) imagining other interpretations of Śrī Harināma, (7) engaging in sinful behavior on the strength of the Holy Name, (8) thinking that other auspicious activities are equal to Śrī Harināma, (9) instructing faithless persons about the Holy Name, (10) having a lack of affection for the Holy Name even after hearing of its glories. Nāma-kīrtana devoid of these ten kinds of offenses is susevana, or careful service, of the kīrtana limb of bhakti.

To be continued...

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 11, part 1 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

ভাগবত শাস্ত্রমর্ম,        নববিধা ভক্তি-ধর্ম,

সদাই করিব সুসেবন |

অন্য দেবাশ্রয় নাই,        তোমারে কহিল ভাই,

এই ভক্তি পরম ভজন || ১১ ||

     I shall always serve by carefully performing the nine kinds of bhakti-dharma, the essence of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I say to you, dear brothers, do not take shelter of other gods; this bhakti is the highest worship.

Navavidhā Bhakti

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Even though within the Vaiṣṇava community Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is known as “the mahārāja of prema-bhakti,” meaning that although he has incomparable competency in prema-bhakti, he humbly thinks of himself as an ordinary sādhaka, saying, bhāgabata śāstra-marma, nababidhā bhakti-dharma, sadāi kariba susebana. “I shall always serve by carefully performing the nine kinds of bhakti-dharma, the essence of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.” This can be explained in two ways. “By Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s mercy, the true hidden meanings of the Bhāgavata-śāstra have been revealed in the commentaries of the Gosvāmīs. I shall always study the Vaiṣṇava-Toṣaṇī, Krama-Sandarbha and the other Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha commentaries, which reveal the deepest meanings of the Bhāgavata, along with those of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartipāda and Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Mahodaya, which faithfully follow the teachings of the Gosvāmīs. I shall always serve the nine kinds of bhakti, such as hearing, chanting and so on, the true dharma of the jīva, the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.”

     Or, “I shall always serve the nine kinds of bhakti, the true essence of the Bhāgavata-śāstra.” This is known from the words of Śrīla Prahlāda Mahāśaya in Śrī Bhāgavatam (7.5.23-24): śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye’dhītam uttamam. “Hearing, chanting and remembering Śrī Viṣṇu, serving his lotus feet, worshiping and praising him, thinking of oneself as his servant or friend and devoting one’s entire being to him---if these nine types of bhakti are directly offered to Śrī Bhagavān by the jīva, I consider that to be the highest learning.” Having resolved to carefully serve these nine limbs of bhakti contained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of all the Vedas, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is urging the sādhaka community to also serve them with utmost care. Here Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has not used the word sevana (service), but rather susevana (careful service). The meaning is that the sādhaka who desires his highest welfare must serve or practice the nine kinds of bhakti in the highest way, by which his heart and mind, soiled by desires and longings, quickly become purified and rati or prema are allowed to appear without delay. In what way must hearing, chanting and the other limbs of bhakti be carefully served? With the support of the Gosvāmīs’ words, we shall undertake a small discussion of this matter because in the absence of careful sevā, or because of lack of skill in sevā, the sādhaka’s progress in bhajana and attainment of prema will be much delayed.

     First, regarding careful sevā, or sevā done in the highest way, in the limb of bhakti comprised of hearing, or śravaṇa, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, tac ca nāma-rūpa-guṇa-līlāmaya-śabdānāṁ śrotra-sparśaḥ...tatrāpi śravaṇe śrī-bhāgavata-śravaṇaṁ tu parama-śreṣṭhaṁ tasya tādṛśa prabhāvamaya-śabdātmakatvāt parama-rasamayatvāc ca tatra pūrvasmād yathā (Bhāg. 1/1/2) ‘śrīmad-bhāgavate mahāmuni-kṛte kiṁvā parair īśvaraḥ sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt.’ mahāmuniḥ sarva-mahan-mahanīya-caraṇa-paṅkajaḥ śrī-bhagavān. atra kiṁvā parair ityādinā śabda-svābhāvika-māhātmyaṁ darśitam. uttarasmād yathā ‘sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ hi śrī-bhāgavatam iṣyate. tad-rasāmṛta-tṛptasya nānyatra syād ratiḥ kvacit.’ tad-rasa evāmṛtaṁ tena tṛptasya. atraivaṁ vivecanīyam; śrī-bhagavan-nāmādeḥ śravaṇaṁ tāvat paramaḥ śreyaḥ; tatrāpi mahad-āvirbhāvita-prabandhādeḥ, tatra mahat-kīrtyamānasya; tato’pi śrī-bhāgavatasya. tatrāpi mahat-kīrtyamānasyeti. tatrāpi savāsana-mahānubhava-mukhāt sarvasya śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi śravaṇaṁ tu parama-bhāgyād eva sampadyate tasya pūrṇa-bhagavattvād iti (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ). 

When words describing the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Bhagavān contact the ear, it is called śravaṇa. Moreover, among things to hear, the hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is considered best because its words are the most powerful and contain the most rasa. It has been described in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that its every word is supremely powerful. ‘That mahāmuni Bhagavān Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the greatest sages, has revealed this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.’ Because such powerful words and transcendental enjoyment have been deposited in this book, by the mere desire to hear it, the devotee captures Śrī Bhagavān within his heart. Does one capture Bhagavān in his heart by hearing or following any other śāstra? Never. By this, the inherent glory of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has been clearly shown. In addition to that, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is said to contain the most rasa: ‘One who becomes thoroughly satisfied by tasting the nectar in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the essence of all vedānta, loses all taste for any other śāstra or sādhana.’ By this, the profound depth of enjoyment found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has been indicated. Here it is to be considered that first of all, the hearing of Śrī Bhagavān’s name, form, qualities, pastimes and so on produces the supreme benefit. Among the various sources, hearing from treatises manifested by great souls produces even more auspiciousness. Moreover, if those books produced by great souls are also sung or narrated by great souls, then the glory of the text becomes even greater. If the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which was produced by the extremely great souls Śrī Vyāsa and Śrī Śuka, is narrated by a great soul, that generates extreme auspiciousness. If the name, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Hari that have been deposited in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are heard from the mouth of a magnanimous soul whose desires are similar to the hearer, then that gives the most enjoyment of all. Moreover, even though the pastimes of various avatāras are narrated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in respect of bringing good fortune, the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are topmost because he is himself Bhagavān and the direct embodiment of mādhurya.

     From this siddhānta of Śrīla Gosvāmipāda we have understood the gist to be that hearing about Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and pastimes from the mouth of a great soul who has similar intentions is extremely powerful and filled with the highest rasa, and that the limb of bhakti composed of hearing is to be carefully served by the sādhaka. Making Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the center, the Gosvāmīs have composed their philosophical and rasa-related books concerning Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. All of those books should also be regarded as of the same status as the Bhāgavatam. The books concerning the līlās of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, who is the combined form of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, such as Śrī Caitanya-Bhāgavata and Śrī Caitanya-Caritāmṛta, as well as Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya’s Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā, Prārthanā and so on are also very powerful and filled with rasa. By carefully hearing all these books from a like-minded great soul, all obstacles are quickly removed and the sādhaka who has developed a taste for this subject matter is in a short time blessed with prema. This is how to perform good service of the śravaṇa limb of bhakti.

To be continued...