Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 12 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

সাধু-শাস্ত্র-গুরুবাক্য,        হৃদয়ে করিয়া ঐক্য,

সতত ভাসিব প্রেমমাঝে |

কর্মী জ্ঞানী ভক্তিহীন,        ইহাকে করিব ভিন,

নরোত্তম এই তত্ত্ব গাজে || ১২ ||

     12. Uniting my heart with the words of guru, sādhu and śāstra, I shall always float in love of God. I shall remain separate from the karmīs, jñānīs and others who have no bhakti. Narottama shouts this truth at the top of his voice.

The Words of Sādhu, Śāstra and Guru

     Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: Śrīla Narottama Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has been discussing careful sevā of the nine kinds of bhakti. In the śāstras and the words of the mahājanas, many types of differentiation of the nine kinds of bhakti have been preserved. For example, Śrīmad Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has expanded them into sixty-four limbs in his book Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhu. Moreover, on this path of bhakti, the sādhaka must observe all the virtuous practices (sadācāra) as well as perform all practical bodily activities with the same intention. The sādhakas who desire auspiciousness must act according to the words of guru, sādhu and śāstra. This has been mentioned in the first half of this verse. Previously, in the fourth verse, it was written, guru-mukha-padma bākya, hṛdi kari mahāśakya: “The words from Śrī Guru’s lotus mouth have great power.” By this statement, it is understood that the words of Śrī Guru regarding what should or should not be done among the above-mentioned activities should be firmly held within one’s heart. Now, here the question may be asked, “If Śrī Gurudeva gives some improper order that is incompatible with the words of the sādhus and śāstras, or is unfavorable to bhajana, should that also be indiscriminately followed?” To remove this type of doubt, he says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-bākya hṛdaye kariyā aikya. The meaning is that if the words of Śrī Guru are one with or in agreement with the śāstras that have been produced to help obtain Śrī Bhagavān, and with the words of the sādhus who are firm in sadācāra, then they are to be followed without consideration. If one takes shelter of the lotus feet of a true guru, well-versed in the scriptures and possessing good behavior, his order can never be in opposition to the words of the śāstras and sādhus. For this reason, the direction has been given that one must take shelter of the lotus feet of a guru who is knowledgeable in śabda-brahma such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other scriptures (in other words, he must be competent in the Vedic literatures) and also deeply absorbed in parabrahma, or devoted to Śrī Bhagavān. In this way, there will be no times of great difficulty for a sādhaka in his life of sādhana.

     However, if Śrī Gurudeva does give some improper instruction that is incompatible with the words of the sādhus and śāstras, the sādhaka may think he is being tested or that the guru wants to determine his faith in sādhu and śāstra. If that is the case, the sādhaka must humbly present his reason for disregarding that order to Śrī Guru’s lotus feet. Nevertheless, if Śrī Gurudeva repeatedly gives such an improper order to the sādhaka, then, perceiving that to be Śrī Guru’s difficult test, the deep meaning of which he is unable to understand, the sādhaka should remain at a distance and continue his bhajana with faithful adherence to sādhu and śāstra. The teachings of Śrī Guru that are contrary to the teachings of the śāstras and sādhus should not be followed, but no irreverence or disrespect should be shown toward him.

     The śruti-śāstras are of many kinds. In some śāstras, karma, jñāna and so on have been described as predominant. Also, in the śāstras that establish the path of bhakti, the various means to attain Śrī Bhagavān have been glorified. It is not possible for any sādhaka to practice all of these. Therefore, if the sādhus of one’s own tradition follow some practice mentioned in the scriptures, which means it is in agreement with the words of śāstra and guru, then only is that practice to be unanimously accepted by the sādhaka who desires auspiciousness. The purport is that if an order given by Śrī Gurudeva is approved by the śāstras and sādhus of one’s own sampradāya, then that order is acceptable. Moreover, only those statements of śāstra are acceptable that are approved by Śrī Gurudeva and the sādhus of one’s own sampradāya. Furthermore, only those statements of the sādhus that agree with the words of Śrī Guru and the śāstras are to be accepted. Only one, meaning either the statement of the sādhus or of śāstra or of guru, is unacceptable if not in agreement with the other two. If there is unity among these three, the statement is to be accepted. Therefore, he has said, sādhu-śāstra-guru-bākya hṛdaye kariyā aikya, satata bhāsiba prema-mājhe. The meaning is that by accepting the words of sādhu, śāstra and guru, all favorable instructions for doing bhajana for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure will be received, and if they are held firmly within one’s heart, all obstacles to bhajana will be removed and prema will appear. At the appearance of prema, the devotee gets an indescribable taste of divine love, of which the essential faculties are hlādinī and samvit. Prema blesses the devotee with a taste of Śrī Bhagavān’s mādhurya and the premika then always floats in the ocean of bhagavad-rasa-mādhurī. satata bhāsiba prema-mājhe.

     Then Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, karmī jñānī bhakti-hīna, ihāke kariba bhina, narottama ei tattva gāje. Karmīs, jñānīs and other sādhakas are devoid of bhakti. Service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa or arranging for Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s happiness is called bhakti. Karmīs and jñānīs are searching for self-happiness, meaning, in the karmī’s heart there is a desire for reaching the heavenly worlds and so on, and in the jñānī’s heart a desire for mukti exists. Although they perform their various karma and jñāna sādhanas with the hope of getting their respective results, they also perform śravaṇa-kīrtana and so on of Śrī Hari because bhakti binu kona sādhana dite nāre phala, saba phala deya bhakti svatantra prabala (CC. M. 24.92). “Without bhakti, no sādhana can give any result. Bhakti is independent and powerful and gives all success.” Still, since they have desires, they are devoid of bhakti because the longing to serve Śrī Bhagavān never awakens in their hearts. They are only doing bhajana to obtain their desired results. Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, ihāke kariba bhina: at the time of satsaṅga, genuine kṛṣṇa-bhaktas must keep themselves separate from these karmīs and jñānīs. In other words, bhaktas must never associate with them at any time. If a sādhaka engaged in pure bhajana observes their practices and then associates with them, it is possible that the desire for something other than Kṛṣṇa that is present in the hearts of the karmīs and jñānīs can be transmitted into the bhakta’s heart. In Hari-Bhakti-Sudhodaya it is seen that, yasya yat-saṅgati puṁso maṇivat syāt sa tad-guṇaḥ. “Whatever the qualities of a person, like a jewel, one who associates with him also acquires those qualities.” Following this convention, the desires of the person with whom one associates are inevitably transferred to the heart of the one associating with him. Even though their association does not cause the desire for something other than Kṛṣṇa to be transferred to the heart of a faithful sādhaka, he still suffers when in contact with karmīs and jñānīs, whose natures are very different from his own. The reason is that they try to diminish the glory of bhakti by extolling the virtues of karma and jñāna as above all. So, for the sādhaka who desires auspiciousness, it is in every way beneficial for him to keep a distance from them. narottama ei tattva gāje means that in this verse, Śrī Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura Mahāśaya is proclaiming with a strong voice this clear philosophical conclusion.

Śrī Śrī Prema-Bhakti-Candrikā 11, part 5 (comm. by Śrī Anantadāsa Bābājī Mahārāja)

     Sixth, regarding vandana, Śrī Jīvapāda has written (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 303 Anuḥ), atha vandanam--tac ca yady apy arcanāṅgatvenāpi vartate, tathāpi kīrtana-smaraṇavat svātantryeṇāpīty abhipretya pṛthag-vidhīyate...vandanasya pṛthag-vidhānaṁ cānanta-guṇaiśvarya-śravaṇāt tad-guṇānusandhāna-pāda-sevādau vidhṛta-dainyānāṁ namaskāra-mātre kṛtādhyavasāyānām arthe...tad etad vandanaṁ yathā--‘tat te’nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk (Bhāg. 10.14.8). “Now the vandana limb of bhakti is being described. Even though this vandanāṅga-bhakti has been included within the arcana limb, still, like the kīrtana and smaraṇa limbs (meaning, while performing kīrtana, smaraṇa of Śrī Hari is also there; but because of the importance of smaraṇa, a separate arrangement has been made for a smaraṇa limb), to independently show the importance of the vandana limb, a separate component has been created. Some bhakta, after hearing of Śrī Bhagavān’s limitless qualities and power, may become bewildered and filled with humility, feeling he has no qualification to explore those qualities or to serve the Lord’s lotus feet. Thinking like this, he decides to only offer obeisance to the Lord. This vandana limb has been independently described specifically for such a person. Regarding this vandana limb, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the narration of his prayers to Śrī Bhagavān, Śrī Brahmā said, “O Lord! You are the embodiment of all good qualities, which no one can measure. For this reason, the person who desires only your mercy accepts all happiness and distress as a compassionate gift from you and goes on enjoying the results of his own actions, offering obeisance to you with his body, words and mind. Like a cātaka bird waiting with hope for a new raincloud to release its water, the devotee maintains his life with the hope of getting a drop of your boundless mercy. Like a brother receiving a share of his father’s wealth, he surely inherits the service of your lotus feet.” In this verse, correct sevā of the vandana limb of bhakti has been described. If correct sevā of these six of the nine kinds of bhakti is possible, then it is also true for dāsya, sakhya and ātma-nivedana. On the other hand, if the heart and mind are not purified by śravaṇa, kīrtana and so on, one’s intelligence alone is not enough to allow one to perform correct sevā of these three limbs. Nevertheless, for the information of our readers, we are briefly mentioning the characteristics of these three limbs in accordance with the description of Śrī Jīva. 

     Seventh, dāsya: atha dāsyam; tac ca śrī-viṣṇor dāsaṁ manyatvam--‘janmāntara-sahasreṣu yasya syān matir īdrśī. dāso’haṁ vāsudevasya sarvān lokān samuddharet.’ ity ukta-lakṣaṇam. astu tāvad bhajana-prayāsaḥ kevala-tādṛśatvābhimānenāpi siddhir bhavatīty abhipretyaivottaratra nirdeśaś ca tasya…tad etad dāsya-sambandhenaiva sarvam api bhajanaṁ mahattaraṁ bhavatīty āha--‘yan-nāma-śruti-mātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ. tasya tīrtha-padaḥ kiṁ vā dāsānām avaśiṣyate.’ (Bhāg. 9.5.16) yasya bhagavato nāma-śravaṇa-mātreṇa yathā kathaṁcit tac-chravaṇena, kiṁ punaḥ samyak tat-tad-bhajanenety arthaḥ. tarhi dāso’smīty abhimānena samyag eva bhajatāṁ sarvatra sādhane sādhye ca kim avaśiṣyate--tad-adhikam anyat kim api nāstīty arthaḥ (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 304-305 Anuḥ). “Now, dāsya-bhakti is being described. The performance of bhajana with the self-concept that ‘I am the servant of Śrī Viṣṇu’ is called dāsya-bhakti. After countless births, the self-concept may appear in some fortunate person that ‘I am the servant of Vāsudeva.’ Such a person can liberate the entire world. Talk of the endeavor for doing bhajana remains far away. Simply by the self-concept that ‘I am the servant of Śrī Bhagavān,’ siddhi or prema-bhakti is attained. For this purpose, discussion of the limb of dāsya-bhakti has been mentioned after referring to the other limbs of bhakti. All other types of bhajana reach their highest state when connected with dāsya. Durvāsā Muni said to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, ‘A person becomes purified by somehow or other just hearing the name of Śrī Bhagavān, whose feet are worthy of veneration. As a result of tasting the Lord’s sweetness, he considers anything else as insignificant. Needless to say, he becomes successful in all respects by performing bhajana.’ Moreover, for those who are performing proper bhajana with the mentality that ‘I am the servant of Śrī Hari,’ what need is there for any other sādhana or sādhya? There is no need for anything else.”

     Eighth, sakhya: atha sakhyam; tac ca hitāśaṁsanamayaṁ bandhu-bhāva-lakṣaṇam (Bhāg. 10.14.32)--‘yan-mitraṁ paramānandam’ ity atra tathaiva mitra-pada-nyāsāt. yathā rāmārcana-candrikāyām ‘paricaryā-parāḥ kecit prāsādādiṣu śerate. manuṣyam iva taṁ draṣṭuṁ vyavahartuṁ ca bandhuvat’ iti. asya cottaratra pāṭhaḥ prema-viśrambhavad bhāvanāmayatvena dāsyād apy uttamatvāpekṣayā. kiṁ ca, parameśvare’pi yat sakhyaṁ śāstre vidhīyate tan nāścarya--‘nādevo devam arcayet’ iti tad-bhāvasyāpi vidhāna-śravaṇāt. kintu tad-bhāvas tat-sevā-viruddha iti śuddha-bhaktair upekṣyate, sakhyaṁ tu parama-sevānukūlam ity upādīyata iti.” (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 306 Anuḥ)

     “Now, sakhya is being described. The mood of well-wishing friendship toward Śrī Bhagavān is called sakhya. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.32, speaking to Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the absolute being and embodiment of transcendental joy, Śrī Brahmā glorifies the Vrajavāsīs as Kṛṣṇa’s mitras, or friends. In the Rāmārcana-Candrikā it is seen that, ‘Some devoted bhaktas sleep in the temple because they see Śrī Bhagavān as a human being and behave with him as a friend.’ For this reason, sakhya has been mentioned after dāsya in the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam verse. In dāsya, even though the treasure of sevā is present, awe and reverence, hesitation and so on also become manifest. But because of the affectionate, friendly mood in sakhya, devoid of any hesitation, there is a predominance of trust. Thus, sakhya is considered superior to dāsya. Moreover, it is no wonder that in śāstra a system of unhesitant friendship toward even the Supreme Lord has been established because in the scriptures such instructions as ‘Though being God, you must worship God’ are also heard. But if a sādhaka thinks of himself as God, there will be disharmony in the service of his own Lord. For this reason, the pure bhaktas disregard any scriptural injunctions to think of oneself as identical with one’s cherished Deity. Sakhya-bhāva has been widely accepted as most favorable to the service of one’s Deity.”

     Finally, the ninth limb, ātma-nivedana: tac ca dehādi-śuddhātma-paryantasya sarvato-bhāvena tasminn evārpaṇam. tat-kāryaṁ cātmārtha-ceṣṭā-śūnyatvaṁ tan-nyastātma-sādhana-sādhyatvaṁ tad-arthaika-ceṣṭāmayatvaṁ ca. idaṁ hy ātmārpaṇaṁ go-vikrayavat vikrītasya gor vartanārthaṁ vikrītavatā ceṣṭā na kriyate. tasya ca śreyaḥ-sādhakaḥ sa krītavān eva syāt. sa ca gaus tasyaiva karma kuryāt, na punar vikrītavato’pīti (Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ 309 Anuḥ). “Surrender is of two types: (1) surrender of the body, and (2) surrender of one’s pure soul. The word samarpaṇa (surrender) means to give oneself in every way to Śrī Bhagavān. The action of self-surrender is devoid of any endeavor for oneself. All of one’s activities aimed at perfection are to be offered to Śrī Bhagavān, including all bodily, verbal and mental endeavors. This self-surrender is like the selling of a cow. If a cow is sold, the seller no longer makes any effort to protect or maintain the cow; the buyer then provides for the cow’s well-being. The cow also now only serves the buyer, not the seller. In the same way, the sādhaka who surrenders himself to Śrī Hari undoubtedly becomes free from concern about his body or anything related to it and is blessed with the good fortune of constant bhajana.”

     Then, in the second half of the verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya says, “I say to you, dear brothers, do not take shelter of other gods; this bhakti is the highest worship.” “O mind, my dear brother! Don’t take shelter of other gods like Brahmā or Rudra; only by taking shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Govinda and performing careful sevā of the above-mentioned nine kinds of bhakti does one practice the highest bhajana.” “Among the various types of bhajana, the nine kinds of bhakti are the best.” (CC. Antya 4.70)