অন্য অভিলাষ ছাড়ি, জ্ঞান কর্ম পরিহরি,
কায়মনে করিব ভজন |
সাধুসঙ্গ কৃষ্ণসেবা, না পূজিব দেবীদেবা,
এই ভক্তি পরম কারণ || ১৩ ||
anya abhilāṣa chāḍi, jñāna karma parihari,
kāya-mane kariba bhajana |
sādhu-saṅga kṛṣṇa-sebā, nā pūjiba debī-debā,
ei bhakti parama kāraṇa || 13 ||
13. Giving up all other desires and abandoning jñāna and karma, I shall do bhajana with my body and mind. I shall associate with sādhus and serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa. I shall not worship any goddesses or gods. This bhakti is the ultimate method.
The Supreme Method
Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In the previous verse, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has instructed the bhakta-sādhaka to give up the association of karmīs, jñānīs and so on and perform pure bhajana. In this verse, he is describing the characteristics of exclusive devotion, the only sādhana the jīva need perform to obtain prema, the supreme goal of life. anya abhilāṣa chāḍi, jñāna karma parihari, kāya-mane kariba bhajana. Only from pure or limitless bhakti does prema appear in the sādhaka’s heart. The limitations on bhakti are of two kinds: desire for something else and mixture with something else. Desire for something else means desire for enjoyment and desire for liberation. Bhakti joined with the desire for enjoyment is called sakāmā and bhakti joined with the desire for liberation is called kaivalyakāmā. Mixture with something else means being covered by karma, jñāna and so on. Here, karma means daily and occasional activities mentioned in the smṛti-śāstras such as giving in charity, observing vows and so on. Jñāna means knowledge of undifferentiated brahman or knowledge that establishes the jīva’s oneness with brahman. If one’s bhakti or bhajana is devoid of the desire for sense enjoyment and liberation, is not covered by jñāna or karma, and is characterized by deep absorption in pure śravaṇa-kīrtana and so on, only then can it be called śuddha-bhakti, or pure devotion. This is also known as ananyā, svarūpa-siddhā, etc.
All the limbs of śuddha-bhakti, such as śravaṇa-kīrtana and service to Śrī Bhagavān are considered as karma, and inquiry into the worshipable Śrī Bhagavān and bhajana-tattva are considered jñāna, to be sure. But this is not karma and jñāna; these are specific limbs of direct bhakti because knowledge and actions that have arisen from bhakti are functions of Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakti only and are therefore beyond the guṇas, or spiritual. The faculties of this transcendental svarūpa-śakti automatically appear in the body and senses of the sādhaka. Therefore, it is essential to acquire knowledge by inquiry into this worshipable tattva. Only this type of jñāna and actions related to the service of Śrī Bhagavān are to be cultivated in bhakti. To reveal the complete characteristics of śuddha-bhakti that is compatible with the śrutis and smṛtis, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmipāda has written,
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam | ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā || (B.R.S 1.1.11)
“Dedicated service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa that is performed with a favorable attitude, is devoid of any other desire and is not covered by jñāna, karma or anything else is called uttamā-bhakti.” The gist of Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda’s commentary on the verse above is that anuśīlanam (dedicated service) is being explained here according to the meaning of the simple root of the verb only. A verbal root has two kinds of meanings: pravṛtti (engagement) and nivṛtti (cessation). These two kinds of actions are further manifested in the form of bodily, verbal and mental endeavors. Here, the meaning of the root śīl, and thus śīlana, has three kinds of actions that originate from its pravṛtti form: (1) serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa with the body, (2) glorifying his name, qualities, pastimes and so on with words, and (3) always contemplating his form, qualities, pastimes and so on in the mind with an affectionate mood. Actions originating from the nivṛtti form include abandoning any sevāparādha (offenses committed while performing sevā) and nāmāparādha (offenses committed against the Holy Name) done with one’s body, mind and words. The word ānukūlya is understood to mean engagement that is pleasant for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. For obtaining success in bhakti, the word ānukūlya is used because success in bhakti is never achieved by pratikūla (unfavorable) behavior. The purport is that actions such as sacrifices, charity, vows and so on mentioned in the smṛti-śāstras that are devoid of desires for anything other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which are not covered by the type of jñāna that establishes the unity of jīva and brahman, and all bodily, verbal and mental endeavors originating from pravṛtti and nivṛtti related to making Śrī Kṛṣṇa happy are known as bhakti. This subject matter has been expressed by Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya with the words anya abhilāṣa chāḍi, jñāna, karma parihari, kāya-mane kariba bhajana.
Then he says, sādhu-saṅga kṛṣṇa-sebā, nā pūjiba debī-debā, ei bhakti parama kāraṇa. For the jīvas who have turned away from Śrī Kṛṣṇa since time immemorial because of aversion to the supreme truth and have been burned by terrible, endless, worldly afflictions, the only way to develop fondness for Bhagavān is to associate with sādhus and mahāpuruṣas and receive their mercy. Without sādhu-saṅga, no one is able to engage in bhagavad-bhajana with a mind freed from the vile decoction of attachment and aversion and the pollution of beginningless karma-saṁskāras. Regarding this, in his Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ (180 Anuḥ), Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has expressed this siddhānta (philosophical conclusion) after making a detailed examination. The gist of this is that Śrī Bhagavān is filled with profound transcendental joy and not affected by sin, unlike the jīva. Within the sun, which is the source of endless light that illuminates the world, no darkness can remain. In the same way, it is in no way possible for the darkness of suffering to touch Śrī Bhagavān, the embodiment of complete happiness. The śruti also says, āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt. For this reason, the miseries of the jīva can never touch the Lord; he is overwhelmed by his own joy. Therefore, even though the full power of compassion exists within him, it is impossible for him to directly express that mercy toward the worldly-minded jīvas because compassion is only aroused if the miseries of another touch one’s heart. Here, the question naturally arises, “Then how are the fallen delivered?” In response it is said that the supremely merciful sādhus have remained in the world to provide the ultimate consolation for the illusion-bound jīvas who are tormented by worldly misery. Just as a person who has awakened from sleep can remember the tales of happiness and misery seen in his dreams, in the same way, the sādhus have also risen from the sleep of illusion, and though always submerged in the rasa of transcendental joy, they remember the miserable state of the māyā-bound jīvas and give them their mercy. Śrī Bhagavān’s compassion, which is present in the hearts of the great souls, is then transmitted from their hearts into the hearts of the jīvas. This is the only way for this to occur. Moreover, other than by sādhu-saṅga, there is no way to obtain the mercy of these great devotees.
To the degree the bodies of the sādhu-mahātmās endowed with Bhagavān’s mighty potency have been sanctified, the rays of bhakti spread from their hearts in all directions and infuse pure love into the hearts of those around them. Such is the enormous power of sādhu-saṅga. Sādhus usually gather in holy places and it is relatively easy to obtain their association there. When a jīva repeatedly hears narrations about Śrī Hari from the mouths of these sādhu-mahātmās, faith in Śrī Bhagavān is aroused in his heart. As a result of this, one gets the shelter of a sad-guru’s lotus feet. By practicing the nine kinds of bhakti-sādhana such as hearing and chanting in the association of sādhus, the sādhaka gradually rises through the stages of niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti and rati and is finally blessed with prema, the highest goal of human life. In this way, prema, the highest attainable object and ultimate purpose of life for the jīva, is obtained by associating with sādhus and receiving their mercy. Therefore it has been said, bhaktis tu bhagavad-bhakta-saṅgena parijāyate. sat-saṅgaḥ prāpyate pumbhiḥ sukṛtaiḥ pūrva-sañcitaiḥ. “If one gets the association of a devotee of Bhagavān, devotion to Bhagavān is produced. This satsaṅga is obtained by people who have previously accumulated sukṛti, or piety.” sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarba-śāstre kaya, laba mātra sādhu-saṅge sarba-siddhi haya (CC. Mad. 22.54). Therefore, nothing compares to such sādhu-saṅga. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.13 we see, tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam. bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ. “Neither heaven nor liberation compares even slightly with the result given by only a short time spent with sādhus, what to speak of the insignificant happiness of having a kingdom or great wealth that is so enjoyable to the mortal man.
Then Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya uses the words kṛṣṇa-sebā. The meaning of bhakti is sebā (Sanskrit sevā), or service. bhaj ity eṣa vai dhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ (Garuḍa-Purāṇa). The verbal root bhaj means “service,” and by adding the suffix ktin, the word bhakti is derived. Therefore, the words kṛṣṇa-sebā are understood here to mean the nine kinds of bhakti including śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, arcana and so on. The performance of these nine kinds of bhakti in the association of sādhus is the unfailing method to attain prema. In some places the reading sādhu-saṅge kṛṣṇa-sebā is also seen. The meaning is that by performing kṛṣṇa-bhajana in the association of sādhus, prema appears very quickly.
Then he says, nā pūjiba debī-debā. The pūjā or service of any other goddess or god is harmful to the devotion of a bhakta who is firmly fixed in bhajana. To obtain insignificant results, people filled with desires worship various gods and goddesses! In Śrī Bhagavad-Gītā 9.23, Śrī Kṛṣṇa has personally said, ye’py anya-devatā-bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ. te’pi mām eva kaunteya yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam. “O Kaunteya! Those who worship other gods are in essence worshipping me because all gods are within me, but this worship is avidhi-pūrvakam, not according to rule.” kintv avidhi-pūrvakam--mat-prāpakaṁ vidhiṁ vinaiva yajanty ataḥ punar āvartante (ṭīkā of Śrīla Viśvanātha). “Avidhi-pūrvaka means ‘where there is no method for obtaining me.’” Therefore, even though these desire-filled worshippers of other gods may obtain some trifling worldly benefits, they can never get the ultimate benefit of Śrī Govinda’s lotus feet. On the other hand, by worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the other gods and goddesses are automatically worshipped. There is no need to worship them separately. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.31.14, we see
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ |
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ tathaiva sarvārhanam acyutejyā ||
“Just as by pouring water on the root of a tree, the trunk, branches, twigs and so on all become satisfied, or by eating food to satisfy the vital organs, the senses and so on automatically become satisfied, in the same way, if one worships Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then everyone is automatically worshipped.” The meaning is that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is personally Bhagavān and the true origin of all. If one waters the root of a tree, the tree pulls that water through the roots and nourishes its trunk, branches, shoots and leaves. If one doesn’t water the root, but rather individually waters the leaves and so on, the tree will never be nourished. In the same way, by worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the other gods, goddesses and so on automatically obtain joy, but if one worships the gods and goddesses separately, they’ll never get such happiness. Someone may say that it is sometimes seen that after watering the root of a tree, a person also waters the shoots and leaves; in the same way, after worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one may also worship the other gods and goddesses. Then why is Ṭhākura Mahāśaya saying here that it is forbidden for devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa to worship other gods and goddesses? Such a concern has been allayed through the example in the above-mentioned verse. When the vital organs are kept nourished with food, water and so on, the eyes, ears and other senses are also nourished; there is no need to give food separately to the senses. If one gives food separately to the eyes and ears, the eyes will become blind and the ears deaf. In the same way, by serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the other gods and goddesses are genuinely satisfied; independent service of the devatās is unnecessary. If the bhakta does choose to do so, his exclusive devotion will be harmed.
Finally, he says that this bhakti is the parama kāraṇa. It must be understood that the best process or unfailing method to obtain prema, the ultimate goal of the jīva’s life, is to abandon other desires, give up jñāna, karma and the worship of other gods, and perform bhajana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa with one’s body, mind and words in the association of devotees.
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