অন্যথা স্বতন্ত্র কাম, অনর্থাদি যার নাম,
ভক্তিপথে সদা দেয় ভঙ্গ ।
কিবা সে করিতে পারে, কাম ক্রোধ সাধকেরে,
যদি হয় সাধু জনার সঙ্গ ॥ ২৩ ॥
anyathā svatantra kāma, anarthādi yāra nāma,
bhakti-pathe sadā deya bhaṅga |
kibā se karite pāre, kāma krodha sādhakere,
yadi haya sādhu janāra saṅga || 23 ||
Otherwise, these independent desires, called anarthas, always create obstacles on the path of bhakti. How is it possible for the sādhakas to engage desire and anger like this? It is possible if they have the association of great devotees.
How to Mitigate Independent Desires
Sudhā-Kaṇikā-Vyākhyā: In the previous two verses, Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya has discussed the employment of kāma, krodha and the other enemies in hari-bhajana and has indicated the circumstances for doing so. By engaging kāma and so on in the appropriate situations and considering them as best friends, the bhakta-sādhaka shall with their assistance attain prema. If the sādhaka-bhakta does not engage them in those circumstances, they will act independently and produce anarthas in his bhajana. Therefore he says, anyathā svatantra kāma, anarthādi yāra nāma, bhakti-pathe sadā deya bhaṅga. The type of desire that excludes Śrī Bhagavān and is the receptacle for various worldly concerns regarding the needs of the body and things related to it is called svatantra-kāma, or independent desire. Contemplation of the sense objects produces svatantra-kāma; when anger, illusion and so on appear as a result of this, the jīva is condemned to hell. Śrī Bhagavān said to Arjuna in Bhagavad-Gītā 2.62-63,
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣūpajāyate |
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho’bhijāyate ||
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ |
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati ||
“By continuous contemplation of sense objects, a person develops attachment for them. From attachment, desire arises, and when that desire is obstructed, anger is produced. From anger comes confusion and from confusion comes destruction of memory. From destruction of memory comes destruction of intelligence and when intelligence is destroyed, everything is ruined, meaning the jīva repeatedly acquires the worldly condition.”
If those who have taken shelter of the path of bhajana don’t engage this kāma or desire in actions of śrī-kṛṣṇa-sevā, the kāma will act independently and introduce anarthas into their bhajana. Anarthas are of four types: duṣkṛtottha or produced from wicked acts, sukṛtottha or produced from pious acts, aparādhottha or produced from offenses and bhaktyuttha or produced from the practice of bhakti. If one considers carefully it can be understood that the origin of these four types of anarthas is svatantra-kāma, independent desire. Ignorance, egotism, attachment, envy and fear of death: these five kinds of miseries are anarthas born of wicked acts. Prārabdha, aprārabdha, kūṭa and bīja sins are included in these five.* It is easily understood that their origin is independent desire. Anarthas born of pious acts result in absorption in various kinds of enjoyment. Some people consider these sukṛtottha-anarthas to also be included within the aforesaid five kinds of miseries. Therefore, at the root of this also is that svatantra-kāma. Nāmāparādha is an anartha produced from offenses and svatantra-kāma is at its root. This independent desire causes the sādhaka’s heart to become absorbed in various worldly sense enjoyments and prevents him from appreciating the greatness of Śrī Guru and the Vaiṣṇavas. Consequently, when he thinks of them as ordinary persons, an aparādha occurs. The hope of attaining profit, adoration and distinction is an anartha produced from the practice of bhakti. Svatantra-kāma is also hidden at this anartha’s root. The reason is that the desire for something other than Kṛṣṇa remains in the sādhaka’s heart and mind. Because of his inability to taste bhajana-rasa, a longing for profit, adoration and distinction awakens. Therefore Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya said, anyathā svatantra kāma, anarthādi yāra nāma. The meaning is that this independent desire is called anartha or that it is the original seed of all the sādhaka’s anarthas. Another reading sometimes seen is anarthādi yāra dhāma, meaning these anarthas are the abode or manifestation of svatantra-kāma. Independent desire is the origin of all these anarthas.
Then he says, bhakti-pathe sadā deya bhaṅga. Independent desire causes various anarthas to appear in bhajana life and always creates obstacles and impediments on the path of bhakti. Anarthas are the only hindrance in the progressive life of bhakti. If these anarthas are destroyed, the sādhaka rises in his sādhana-bhajana through the states of niṣṭhā, ruci, āsakti, bhāva and rati and is then spontaneously blessed with prema.
Now a question arises. From beginningless time this independent desire has remained in men’s hearts and is extremely powerful and irrepressible. How can the sādhaka by his own endeavor redirect this unrestrained desire, which is aimed at sense-enjoyment, toward Śrī Bhagavān or engage it in śrī-kṛṣṇa-sevā? In response, he says, kibā se karite pāre, kāma krodha sādhakere, yadi haya sādhu janāra saṅga. If even a small amount of association is attained with sādhus who are constantly absorbed in bhajana-rasa, devoid of desire for sense-enjoyment, whose nature is always holy, enlightened and liberated, and whose consciousness is pure, then kāma and the other enemies become incapable of extending their own power. Even though they may sometimes, somehow be aroused, they quickly become subdued by the power of mahat-saṅga. Having once been independent, they are now unable to produce anarthas. Specifically, sādhnoti sādhayatīti sādhu. “Those who personally perform sādhana-bhajana and cause others to do the same are called sādhus.” By the power of their association, even an ordinary person can obtain the capacity to perform bhajana and thus conquer kāma and the other enemies. Through sādhana, he becomes capable of destroying all his anarthas. Even without getting their direct association, a jīva obtains great benefit just by seeing the sādhus. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.10.41 and 10.84.11 we see,
sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ sutarāṁ mat-kṛtātmanām |
darśanān no bhaved bandhaḥ puṁso’kṣṇoḥ savitur yathā ||
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devā mṛc-chilā-mayāḥ |
te punanty uru-kālena darśanād eva sādhavaḥ ||
Śrī Bhagavān said to Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, “Just as at the rising of the sun, there is no longer anything to prevent the eyes from seeing, in the same way, by seeing the sādhus, who view all with equal vision and who have given their minds and hearts to me, the jīvas become free from worldly bondage.” “Simply by seeing the sādhus, the jīvas become purified, whereas water-filled holy places and deities made of clay and stone can only purify them after a long time or in another birth.”
Previously, there was a discussion about employing kāma and the other enemies in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s service. This is only possible as a result of associating with great souls and receiving their mercy. In the commentary on the previous verse, we mentioned Śrī Bhagavān’s statement to Śrī Uddhava, which said that the śaraṇāgata-bhakta who performs actions of dharma, artha and kāma for my sake attains prema-bhakti. In the next śloka Śrī Bhagavān said, satsaṅga-labdhayā bhaktyā mayi māṁ sa upāsitā, sa vai me darśitaṁ sadbhir añjasā vindate padam (11.11.25). nanv evambhūta-bhakti-mārge pravṛttir niṣṭhā vā kathaṁ syād ity āśaṅkya tatra hetum āha satsaṅgeti (Krama-Sandarbha ṭīkā). The question may be asked, “How does the śaraṇāgata-bhakta become engaged in such bhakti wherein he offers his kāma and so on to Śrī Bhagavān?” In reply it is said, “Bhakti is acquired by association with the sādhus. In this way, the bhaktas take up my worship and easily attain my abode, revealed to them by the great souls.” Therefore, even though kāma and the other enemies may have been independent, in the association of sādhus they are no longer able to create anarthas in bhajana.
*Prārabdha means the consequences of activities of a previous birth that have begun to take effect. Aprārabdha means those which haven’t yet begun to take effect. Kūṭa means those which are in the accumulating stage and bīja means those in seed form.
