কৃষ্ণভক্ত অঙ্গ হেরি, কৃষ্ণভক্ত সঙ্গ করি,
শ্রদ্ধান্বিত শ্রবণ কীর্তন ।
অর্চন স্মরণ ধ্যান, নবভক্তি মহাজ্ঞান,
এই ভক্তি পরম কারণ ॥ ১৮ ॥
kṛṣṇa-bhakta aṅga heri, kṛṣṇa-bhakta saṅga kari,
śraddhānbita śrabaṇa kīrtana |
arcana smaraṇa dhyāna, naba-bhakti mahājñāna,
ei bhakti parama kāraṇa || 18 ||
While seeing the devotees and associating with them, one should faithfully perform śravaṇa, kīrtana, arcana, smaraṇa, dhyāna and so on. The nine processes of bhakti embody the greatest wisdom. This bhakti is the best method.
Performing Bhajana with Faith
Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In this verse, the author discusses the performance of bhajana such as śravaṇa, kīrtana and so on by the faithful in the association of Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. kṛṣṇa-bhakta aṅga heri, kṛṣṇa-bhakta saṅga kari, śraddhānbita śrabaṇa kīrtana. By the power of seeing the lustrous forms of the kṛṣṇa-bhaktas and associating with them, even ordinary people can rise gradually through the stages from śraddhā up to ruci, and then quickly attain rati and then prema. From the sādhu’s body, all the purified subtle elements (tanmātrā), namely sound, touch, form, taste and aroma, come forth such that just by seeing these sādhus even an ordinary person devoid of bhajana can be infused with these purified elements and made successful by being given the extraordinary treasure of bhajana. In his commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.16 (śuśrūṣoḥ śraddhadhānasya ityādi) in his book Bhakti-Sandarbhaḥ (11 anuḥ), Śrīmat Jīva Gosvāmipāda has written, kāryāntareṇāpi tīrthe bhramato mahatāṁ prāyas tatra bhramatāṁ tiṣṭhatāṁ vā darśana-sparśana-sambhāṣaṇādi-lakṣaṇā sevā svata eva sampadyate. tat-prabhāveṇa tadīyācaraṇe śraddhā bhavati. tadīya-svābhāvika-paraspara-bhagavat-kathāyāṁ kim ete saṁkathayanti tat-śṛṇomīti tad-icchā jāyate. tac-chravaṇena ca tasyāṁ rucir jāyata iti. tathā ca mahadbhya eva śrutvā jhaṭiti kārya-karīti bhāvaḥ. tathā ca kapiladeva-vākyam. Bhāg. 3.25.25---
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ |
taj-joṣanād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati ||
“If someone during his leisure time travels to a holy place such as Śrī Vṛndāvana with the intention of doing tīrtha-sevā, he will naturally without any separate endeavor perform sevā just by seeing, touching and conversing with the great souls residing there. It is impossible for the worldly-minded jīva to have the urge to seek out the association of mahāpuruṣas, but by the power of seeing and touching these magnanimous souls, the pilgrim develops some faith or trust in their practices. When he hears the bhagavat-kathā naturally being discussed by the mahāpuruṣas, he thinks, ‘Let me listen to what they are saying.’ In this way, the inclination is also awakened within him. By hearing the hari-kathā flowing from the lotus mouths of those magnanimous souls, he also develops a taste for it. When one hears this hari-kathā from the mahats, it very quickly becomes effective. Therefore, Bhagavān Śrī Kapiladeva said to his mother Devahūti, ‘O Mother! By the auspicious association of the sādhus, the jīva hears stories of my glory, which are like an elixer for the heart and ears. If one hears these stories with devotion, śraddhā, rati and prema-bhakti appear very quickly.’” This prema-bhakti is the jīva’s ultimate goal or highest object of human life, and only by associating with sādhus and receiving their mercy is it attainable. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.25, when Śrī Viṣṇu wanted to give a boon to Mahārāja Pṛthu, Śrī Pṛthu replied,
sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā-kaṇānilaḥ |
smṛtiṁ punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanāṁ kuyogināṁ no vitaraty alaṁ varaiḥ ||
“O Lord! We have forgotten the highest truth, which is knowledge of you. Even a wisp of the sweet fragrance of your lotus feet or the nectarous stories of your pastimes flowing from the mouths of great souls can once again cause us to remember you. The līlā-kathā narrated by the mahats is the highest attainment and highest form of sādhana. Therefore, my Lord, we have no need for any other boon.” This tattva has been described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other bhakti-śāstras, as well as in the Upaniṣads. In the Kaṭhopaniṣad, after presenting much knowledge, the author informs us of the difficulty in understanding brahma and establishes that brahma is beyond the reach of words and the mind. Then how shall it be known? In answer to this question, it has been said, naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṁ śakyo na cakṣuṣā, astīti bruvato’nyatra kathaṁ tad-upalabhyate. “Brahma is indeed not an object of attainment by speech, mind, eyes or any of the senses. Then how shall one gain knowledge of him? Śruti replies that he shall be known from a mahāpuruṣa who has strong faith in God.” In his commentary on this mantra, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya has written, tasmād astīti bruvato’stitvavādina āgamārthānusāriṇaḥ śraddhadhānād anyatra kathaṁ tat brahma upalabhyate na kathaṁ ca nopalabhyate ity ārthaḥ. Other than by the association and mercy of the faithful mahāpuruṣas, there is no way of knowing brahma. Śaṅkara has established this firmly in his commentary. In the universal scripture Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā also, it has been said, upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ (4.34). “O Arjuna! Those great souls who know the śāstras and have direct experience of the truth shall teach you this spiritual knowledge.” From all these scriptural statements, it is easily understood that after studying the śāstras and becoming to some degree expert in śabda-brahma, one must obtain the association and mercy of great souls who have direct perception of the truth. Otherwise, there is no possibility of becoming free from anarthas or attaining bhakti. Therefore, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has said, kṛṣṇa-bhakta aṅga heri, kṛṣṇa-bhakta saṅga kari, śraddhānbita śrabaṇa kīrtana. As long as one does not get the association of a kṛṣṇa-bhakta-mahāpuruṣa, he should study the śāstras revealed by the great devotees or the books on dharma that have been explained by them. This is also a type of satsaṅga, which will be understood in the course of this discussion.
Then he says, arcana smaraṇa dhyāna, naba-bhakti mahājñāna, ei bhakti parama kāraṇa. Here, śravaṇa, kīrtana, arcana, smaraṇa and dhyāna have been discussed. Dhyāna is included within smaraṇa: viśeṣato rūpādi-cintanaṁ dhyānam (Śrī Jīva). After the practice of smaraṇa becomes mature, one reaches the stage of dhyāna, wherein there is meditation on a specific form and so on. Four particular limbs of the nine kinds of bhakti have been mentioned in this verse. By the words naba-bhakti mahājñāna, he is referring to the necessity for us to obtain detailed knowledge regarding the nine types of bhakti. In verse eleven, the author said, bhāgabata śāstra-marma, naba-bidhā bhakti-dharma, sadāi kariba susebana. In this context, it is worth noting that we have discussed the nine kinds of bhakti to the best of our understanding in the commentary on that part of the verse. ei bhakti parama kāraṇa means that these nine kinds of bhakti are the best method for obtaining prema.
bhajanera madhye śreṣṭha---naba-bidha-bhakti |
kṛṣṇa-prema kṛṣṇa dite dhare mahāśakti ||
tāra madhye sarba-śreṣṭha---nāma-saṅkīrtana |
niraparādha nāma haite haya prema-dhana ||
“Among the processes of worship, the nine kinds of bhakti are best because they possess the power to give Kṛṣṇa and love for Kṛṣṇa. Among these nine methods, the best of all is nāma-saṅkīrtana. By chanting the Holy Names without offense, one is blessed with the treasure of prema.” (CC. Antya 4.70-71)
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